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: "ERIC SMITH" <ericsmith@galmail.co.za> (may be fake)
Reply-To: ericsmith2222@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Sat, 25 Jun 2005 13:07:11 +0200
Subject: WHY I WRITE YOU

PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL.

TO:CEO

FROM:MR.ERIC SMITH.

TEL/FAX:+27735993635.


SOUTH AFRICA.

BUSSINESS ASSISTANCE TO TRANSFER FUND.

Dear sir/madam,

I know you will be surprised to receive this my request to help me transferring some fund into your overseas account.The details of the transaction is as follow.

In order to transfer out the sum of twenty six million united state Dollars (US$26 MILLION) from ABSA BANK,I have the courage to ask you to look for reliable and honest person who will be capable for this important business and that you will never let me down either now or in future.I am MR.ERIC SMITH,the Chief Auditor of ABSA,BANK SOUTH AFRICA

There is an account opened in this bank in 1997 nobody has operated on this account again.After going through some old files in the records,I discovered that if I do not remit this money out urgently,it would be forfeited for nothing.The owner of this account is MR.PAUL.J.WILLIAMS,a foreigner and miner at KRUGER GOLD COMPANY,geologist by profession,and he died since 1998.No other person knows about anything concerning it.The account has no other beneficiary and my investigation proved to me as well that this company does not know any thing about this account and the amount involved is TWENTY SIX MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS (US$26 MILLION).

I want firstly to transfer the sum of FIFTEEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLAR (US$15M) from this bank into a safe foreigner's account abroad before the rest of the sum,but I don't know any foreigner ,I am contacting you as 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 dollars and the former owner of the account is Mr.PAUL.J.WILLIAMS,and he is a foreigner too.I know that this message will come to you as a surprise as we don't know ourselves before.Actually,we will sign agreement,but be sure that it is real and a genuine business with 100% risk free.

I got your contact address from the South Africa chambers of commerce believing you as a God fearing individual,you will not let me down in this transaction.

Therefore, I am appealing if you are interested please contact me immediately so that I can inform the steps to take on.Your private phone number and fax numbers including the full details of the account to be used for the deposit.I want us to meet face to face or sign a binding agreement to bind us together so that you can receive this money into a foreign account or any account of your choice where the fund will be safe.And I will fly to your country for withdrawal,sharing and investment.

Again,I contacted you because there is a strong need of foreigner with overseas account and a foreign beneficiary.I need your full cooperation to make this work fine because the management is ready to approve this payment to any foreigner who has correct information of this acount,which I will give to you later,on conditions that you are able to handle such amount in strict confidence and trust.Also you will follow my instructions and advice for mutual benefit because this opportunity will never come again in my life.

I am still saying I need a powerful and trustworthy person to avoid any mistake.Furthermore,with my present position in my office I can transfer this money to any reliable overseas account with proof that the money will be intact till my physical arrival to your country for sharing and investment.I will destroy all the documents of this transaction immediately we receive this money leaving no trace to any place.You can come here physically at least for you to witness the remittance of the fund and we can travel together to your country at least two days ahead of the money going to the account.

I will apply for annual leave to get visa immediately,if I see you are serious to act and receive this fund in your account.I will use my position and influence to effects the approvals and onward transfer of this sum into your account with appropriate clearance forms of the ministries and foreign exchange departments.

At the end of the transaction,you will be given 35% of the total amount,60% will be assigned to me while 5% will be set aside for expenses incured during the transaction.

Therefore,if you are interested contact me with the above phone number , fax number and email address for more information.

I am looking forward for your earliest reply and compliments to your family.

Best regards,

MR.ERIC SMITH.




Anti-fraud resources: