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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr. Mrs. Mariam Abacha" <muhaba@k.ro> (may be fake)
Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2005 18:52:23 +0100
Subject:

My Dear Friend,

I am Dr. Mrs. Mariam Abacha, wife to the late Nigerian
Head of state, General Sani Abacha who died on the 8th
of June 1998 while still on active service for our
Country. I am contacting you with the hope that you
will be of great assistance to me, I currently have
within my reach the sum of twenty million U.S dollars cash
which I intend to use for investment purposes outside
Nigeria.

This money came as a result of a payback contract deal
between my husband and a Russian firm in our country's
multi-billion dollar Ajaokuta steel plant. The Russian
partners returned my husbands share being the above
sum after his death. Presently, the new civilian
Government has intensified their probe into my
husbands financial resources which has led to the
freezing of all our accounts, local and foreign, the
revoking of all our business licences and the arrest
of my First son. In view of this I acted very fast to
withdraw this money from one of our finance houses
before it was closed down. I have deposited the money
in a security company with the help of very loyal
officials of my late husband. No record is known about
this fund by the government because there is no
documentation showing that we received such funds.

Due to the current situation in the country and
government attitude to my family, I cannot make use of
this money within, thus I seek your help in
transferring this funds out of the sub-African region.
Bearing in mind that you may assist me, l have decided
to part with 20% of the total sum.

Please kindly reply through this email muhaba@k.ro address and
include your personal telephone and fax numbers.

Your URGENT response is needed.

Regards,

Dr. Mrs. Mariam Abacha
http://www.time.com/time/europe/magazine/2000/27/swiss.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/909972.stm





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