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"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.

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Fraud email example:

From: "Micheal Obi." <k_crux333@yahoo.co.uk> (may be fake)
Reply-To: m_collins22@mail2world.com
Date: Sat, 19 Feb 2005 12:29:22 -0800
Subject: Pls m' waiting

Micheal Obi
House 23, 12th Avenue,
G.R.A. Enugu.

This is an alternative
Email address: m_collins33@mail2world.com

Date: 20/2/2005
Attention: CEO/CHAIRMAN.

RELOCATION AND PARTNERSHIP
Dear Friend,

I am disable from motor accident and cannot travel abroad without Doctor’s orders. I was an oil consultant based in the United Kingdom, and because I helped a lot of foreign crude Oil companies to get crude oil lifting rights and lucrative Oil contracts from Nigeria. I was able to amass fortune worth about USD$ 20,000,000.00. (twenty million United States dollar) On 21st December 2002, I left the U.K. Finally with my family, and came back to Nigeria. But because of the unfavorable political and economic climate in Nigeria, and for security reasons, I left my money total USD$ 20,000,000.00. In a security safe Deposit vault in London.
On 22nd December 2002, my whole family and I were involved in a very bad accident on our way home to our village at Kano. I lost my entire family in the accident, and I myself fell into coma since then.

I eventually recovered from coma, and was discharged from the hospital two weeks ago. I have no money with which to sponsor anyone in Nigeria to undertake the trip for me. In any case, my extend family here abandoned me in hospital when they realized that the money, which I came back with, had been spent on hospital bills; I am currently living on the Charity of the church. And your help to collect this money in London and invest it in a profitable venture abroad; I cannot bring in this money into Nigeria for fear of seizure by the Government. If the money is properly and profitable invested abroad, I intended to leave Nigeria permanently.

Can I count on your help? If you agree to help me, I will send you by fax the information of my vault so that you can travel to London and open vault; you will remove the money total USD$120,000,000.00 and transfer it to your Bank Account. For your help and assistance, you will keep 25% of the total money for yourself and keep 75% for me in safe custody until I travel to meet you and invest my shares. If you agree to help me, please reply me with the following information.

1. Your complete name and Street (postal) address.
2. Your phone and fax number, including mobile if any
3. Your confidential email address.

Once I received your reply starting your street postal address as above, I will send to you the information which you will use to access the vault and the contact of the vault in London, and I will also forward you more details of this transaction by email
Regards,

Micheal Obi.





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