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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: "AHMED ABDALLA" <AbdalAhmd@netscape.net>
Date: Mon, 25 Jul 2005 07:07:44 +0300
Subject: I NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE


Dear Sir/Madam,

My name is Ahmed Abdalla, Director and Board Member,Transparency
International ,Kenya.
I got your email address from the web directory so I decided to contact
you.

We are interested in diverting some funds currently floating in the
suspense account of the federal
pay office to your account as soon as possible.

Source of the funds are:

During the Arap Moi's government, government’s officials awarded contracts
to their own companies,
these contracts were grossly over invoiced. Now the present government set
up contract review panel
to settle those owed outstanding amount. My colleagues and I have
identified a huge amount totaling
US$ 370m (Three hundred and seventy million us dollars) oversea .

We would want US$43.8m (Forty three million Eight Hundred Thousand) dollars
out this money oversea
transferred to your account because we are not eligible to operate foreign
account, and I have been
mandated to search for a partner abroad. We really want this transfer made
as soon as possible before
the government, who have started refunding money from Moi's foreign
accounts track this money.
We will be offering 20% for your assistance.
If you would want to proceed with this transaction please reply with your
name and phone number
to(AhmedAbdl@netscape.net) and if you do not accept my offer please treat
with utmost confidentiality.
For more information check and browse carefully all the links in the
website below.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3324369.stm
Best Regards,
Ahmed Abdalla,
Director & Board Member, Transparency International,
Kenya.
AhmedAbdl@netscape.net.




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