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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: "Mr. Oscar Bona" <oscarbona@gentlemail.com> (may be fake)
Date: Sun, 17 Jul 2005 08:04:15 +0100
Subject: Can you spend this money?

Hello dear,

My name is Oscar Bona, and I write to invite you to join me in a most confidential business transaction. Before I present the transaction proper, please permit me to give you some back ground information.

On May 4, 2002, a Nigerian Jetliner crashed near Kano City, killing instantly some 148 passengers. You can read about the crash by visiting the following websites:

http://www.hinduonnet.com/2002/05/05/stories/2002050503070101.htm
http://english.people.com.cn/200205/06/eng20020506_95178.shtml
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2002/may2002/nige-m07.shtml
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1968300.stm

After the crash, the Government of Nigeria declared that a Mobile Vault aboard the plane containing millions of Dollars had gone missing and warned that any one found with it would be prosecuted. After 2 years, my father invited me to our family home, which adjourned the crash area and informed me that a strange box was discovered in the thick forests, and that it looked like stuff from the crashed aircraft 2 years ago…

I used welding equipment to force open the box and discovered that it contained millions of US Dollars in 100 Bills. I COUNTED THE BUNDLES WHICH CONTAINED 100 BILLS EACH AND THE GRAND TOTAL WAS USD25 MILLION. I knew instantly that this was the money the Government was looking for! I also knew that declaring this find to the Authorities would instantly put me in jail. My whole family might even be killed in order to hide the trace of this money. Every body knows that Nigerian Government Officials are very corrupt, and it would be a small thing to wipe out my whole family because of this money! I therefore wisely kept quiet for a long time while I thought of a solution because I clearly wanted to keep this money. By natural right of justice, it is FINDERS KEEPERS, and it was found in my PROPERTY!

I found out from discreet investigation that the Government had circulated the SERIAL numbers of ALL the Bills to the Banks and Finance institutions, and any attempt by me to spend even 100 USD will surely land me in jail! I therefore decided to seek outside help. Can you spend this money in your Country? It is REAL money. I will appreciate your urgent advice what to do next. If we successfully remove this money with your help, to safety abroad, we will share it 50% each

Please contact me immediately by email, if you wish to help. If you cannot, then simply delete this email and please forget I ever contacted you!

All my regards,

Oscar Bona,

Abuja , Nigeria







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