joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: "GRACE LAWAL (PHD)" <grace_phd2005@yahoo.co.uk> (may be fake)
Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2005 18:32:17 +0100
Subject: HELP.

Dear Sir/Madam, I am Mrs Grace Lawal (phd) bank manager of South Africa Reserve Bank in South Africa. I have an urgent and very confidencial business proposition for you. On June 6,1997,a foreign oil consultant/contractor, Mr. Barry Kelly made a numbered time (fixed) deposit for twelve calander months, valued of US$ 25,000000.OO (TWENTY-FIVE MILLION US DOLLARS) in my branch Upon maturity, I discovered from his contractor employers; the South Africa National Petroleum Corporation that Mr. Barry Kelly died from an automobile accident. On further investigation, I found out that he died without making a will and all attempts to trace his next-of-kin was fruitless. This sum of US$ 25 million has carefully been moved out of my bank to a security company for safe-keeping. No one has come forward to claim it. Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you to come forward as the claimant( owner) of this money deposited in t!
he security company; in two trunk boxes, though the security company does not know the contents of the boxes as I tagged them to be photographic materials for export. I want to present as owner of the boxes in the security company, so can be able to make a claim through the help of my attorney. This is simple, I will like you to provide immediately your full names and address, through which my attorney can prepare the necessary documents to put you as the owner for a claim. the money will be moved out for share in ratio of 70%( for me) to 30%(for you) respectively. Thanks and God Bless. Dr Lawal Grace(phd)


Anti-fraud resources: