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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: "Festus Ibe"<ibefestus101@yahoo.de>
Date: Fri, 17 Jun 2005 19:43:09 +0200
Subject: PLEASE REPLY MY MAIL URGENTLY

I am Barrister Festus Ibe, the Personal Attorney
to a Foreign Contractor, who worked with a
Multinational Oil Firm in Nigeria.
On the 11th of September 2001, my client, a Mexican
National, late Engineer Carlos Montoya, an oil
Merchant / Contractor with the Federal Government of
Nigeria, until his
death Three years ago in a ghastly
terrorist attack to American Airlines Flight 11, from
Boston, Massachusetts, to Los Angeles, California,
crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Centre
with 86 people on board. All occupants of the
Aeroplane unfortunately lost their lives.

Since then I have made several inquiries to Several
Embassies to locate any of my clients extended
relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful.
After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided
to trace his relatives over the Internet, to locate
any member of his family but of no avail, hence I
contacted you. I have contacted you to assist me in
repatriating the money left behind by my client before
they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the
Bank where this huge deposits were lodged.
Particularly, the Bank where the deceased had an
account valued at about US$9Million has
issued me a notice to provide the next of
kin,relatives so that the fund left will be
transferred or have
the account confiscated within the next twenty
official working days.

Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the the
relatives for over 3 years now I seek your consent to
present you as the next of kin to the deceased so that
the proceeds of this account valued at US$9Million
can be paid to you and then you and I can
share this money. 70% to me and 25% to you,while 5%
should be for expenses or tax as your Government may
require.

All I require is your honest and co-operation to
enable us see this deal through. I guarantee that this
will be
executed under a legitimate arrangement that will
protect you from any breach of the law.

I will want you to send to me on your return email the
following information for the transfer in your favour.

1, Your full names
2, Your contact address
3, The name of bank you wish we will use in receiving
the fund successfully
4, The complete address of the bank
5, Your private phone and fax numbers where we will be
communicating to each other.
I will want you to also send your reply to my private
email<ibefestus2005@terra.com.mx> as soon as you get this
mail to
enable us discuss on the modalities and process for
success of
this transaction.

Regards,

Barrister Ibe Festus.

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