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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: "Ahmad Bello" <ahmadbello@hotmail.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: ahmadbello@mail.com
Date: Sat, 25 Jun 2005 11:45:16 +0200
Subject: I need your co-operation

Ahmad Bello
12 Avenue Centenatre
Dakar Senegal
E-mail:ahmadbello@myway.com

Attention: The President/CEO.

I am Alhaji Ahmad Bello, Bank Manager in one of the leading banks here in
Dakar Senegal. I have an urgent and very confidential business proposition
for you. A contract employers- Teaser Petroleum Corporation made a numbered
time Deposit for twelve calendar months, valued at US$12,500,000.00 (Twelve
Million Five Hundred United States Dollars) in my bank. Upon maturity, I
sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but got no reply.
After a month, we sent a reminder and finally discovered from his contract
employers, Teaser Petroleum Corporation that MR. ANDREAS SCHRANNER from
Munich Germany died in a plane crash along with his entire family in July
2000.PLEASE TAKE A CAREFULL LOOK AT THE BBC PUBLISHED Monday, 31 July, 2000,
13:22 GMT 14:22
UK:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm

Since we got this information about his death and on further investigation,
I found out that he died without making a WILL, and all attempts to trace
his next of kin was fruitless. I therefore made further investigated and
discovered that Mr. Andreas Schranner did not declare any kin or relations
in all his official documents, including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my
Bank. This sum of US$12,500,000.00 is still sitting in my Bank and the
interest is being rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each
year. No one will ever come forward to claim it. According to Laws of
Senegal, at the expiration of 5
(five) years, the money will revert to the ownership of the Senegalese
Government if nobody applies to claim the fund. Consequently, my proposal is
that I will like you as a foreigner to stand in as the next of kin to Mr.
Andreas Schranner so that the fruits of this old man's labour will not get
into the hands of some corrupt government officials.

A bank account in any part of the world that you will provide will then
facilitate the transfer of this money to you as the beneficiary/next of kin.
The money will be paid into your account for us to share in the ratio of 50%
for me and 30% for you. The remaining 20% will be for any expenses we might
incurred during the course of the transaction. There is no risk at all as it
will be handled in such a way that no law of any country will be violated
and my position as the Branch Manager guarantees the successful execution of
this transaction. If you are interested, please reply immediately via the
private email address above. Upon your response, I shall then provide you
with more details on how we should proceed. Please send me your confidential
telephone and fax numbers for easy communication.

Please observe utmost confidentiality, and rest assured that this
transaction would be most profitable for both of us because I shall require
your assistance to invest my share in your country.

Awaiting your urgent reply.

Regards,

Ahmad Bello.
002215230013


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