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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: "Donald Ekeh" <donald_ekeh@ekehchambers.com>
Date: Mon, 11 Jul 2005 17:25:51 +0000
Subject: Please reply immediately .....

EKEH & ASSOCIATES
BARRISTER DONALD EKEH (SAN)
LEGAL PRACTITIONER, SOLICITOR & ADVOCATE
LAGOS-NIGERIA
TEL: +234-1-436-3921
Email: barr_donaldekeh@ekehchambers.com

Dear,

I am BARRISTER DONALD EKEH, personal attorney and also a close confidant of
a national of your country, who also shares same Surname/Last Name with you.
He used to work with one of the major oil companies in this country, ZENON
OIL NIGERIA (PLC).

On the 6th of May, 2002 it was reported to me that my client, his wife and
their children were involved in a Local Plane Crash at Kano State, enroute
Abuja (The Capital City) all occupants in the Plane lost their
lives,unfortunately on this same flight were other dignitaries like the
Sports Minister and a host of others.

The following websites could be referenced:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1968616.stm

http://www.usafricaonline.com/ngrkanocrash.html

http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2002/05/06/stories/2002050600451500.htm

http://www.hinduonnet.com/2002/05/05/stories/2002050503070101.htm

Since then I have made several enquiries to your embassy to locate any of
his extended relatives and this has also proved unsuccessful. After these
several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to contact you. I have contacted
you to assist in repatriating the money and property left behind by my
client before they get confiscated or auctioned by the company where he
deposited the sum of US$9.2 million dollars.

The guidelines of this Finance Company stipulates that if such deposit
remained unclaimed for over a period of time 3 years,without the fund
claimed,the said deposit will be confiscated and this will happen after the
next fourteen official working days if nobody comes for the money.

Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over one year
for the deposit and his property,and the company has been notifying the
rotary club regarding this,now I seek your consent to present you as the
next of kin of the deceased so that the proceeds of this deposit valued at
US$9.2 million dollars can be paid to you here or in any of the company's
affiliate office overseas. I have all necessary information and legal
documents needed to back you up for claim.

All I require from you is your honest cooperation to enable us see this
transaction through. I guarantee that this will be executed under legitimate
arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.

Please contact me on the above phone number or email to enable us discuss
further.

Best regards,

Barrister Donald Ekeh
EKEH & ASSOCIATES


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