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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: "Mr Emmanuel Taiwo" <emmanueltaiwo_2005@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Date: Sun, 7 Dec 2003 23:28:49 -0800
Subject: FROM; MR EMMAUNEL TAIWO

Mr Emmanuel Taiwo
The Branch Manager.
Nigerian-American Merchant Bank Ltd
Boston House 23McCarthy Street,
Onikan, Lagos.


Attn: Dear Friend,



ASSISTANCE/SUPPORT IS NEEDED.



I know this email will come to you as a surprise since we do not know each other before-now. well I got your e-mail through your country's profile on the internet. And i humbly seek your willingness to assist in this regard.

Friend,This is an account opened in this bank in 1994 and since 2002 nobody has operated this account again After going through some old files in the bank records, I discovered that if I do not remit this money out urgently it would be forfeited for nothing . The owner of this account was a foreigner,an engineer by profession and he died since 2002. No other person knows about this account or any thing concerning it, the account has no other beneficiary and my investigation proved to me as well that this bank does not know anything about this account ! and the amount involved is (US$6.M) SIX MILLION UNITED STATE DOLLARS.

I am contacting you as a foreigner because this money cannot be approved to a local bank here, but can only be approved to any foreign account because the money is in US Dollars and the former owner of the account was a foreigner too. I know that this massage will come to you as a surprise as we don't know ourselves before, We will sign an agreement, but be sured that it is real and a genuine business.it is 100% risk free. And mind you,it's confidentail.

Please reply urgently so that I will inform you the next step to take immediately.

At the conclusion of this business, you will be given 35% of the total amount while 5% will be for expenses both parties might have incurred during the process of transferring this fund. I look forwrad to hearing from you soonest via this email. You can as well forward your direct telephone number for easier communication.

Yours Faithfully,

Mr Emmanuel Taiwo



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