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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: mariabanda1960@webmail.co.za
Date: Mon, 08 Aug 2005 03:47:15 -0800
Subject: FROM MRS. MARIA BANDA

FROM: MRS. MARIA BANDA
TEL: 27-73-589-5594

Dear Sir/madam

WE NEED YOUR URGENT HELP

I cannot imagine the surprise this will bring to you, but please be rest assured is with good faith and intentions from a family in dare need of your assistance to help us transfer the inheritance sum of US$ 23.1 million into your account or company account, in which God will bless you for rendering a helping hand to others.

I am Mrs. Maria Banda, from Sierra Leone (currently residing in South Africa), the wife to the late Brigadier John Banda. I got your contact details in the course of my discreet search for a reliable and God fearing person from the Johannesburg Trade and Exhibition Center and after going through your profile, I decided to solicit for your kind assistance. I am currently residing with my son here in South Africa as asylum seekers and the South African Fiscal Policy Law and Regulations does not allow us certain financial rights.

My husband was a brigadier in charge of Arms and Ammunition procurement for the Sierra Leon Army before his death. After his death I discovered that in his will, he specifically drew my attention to the sum of US$ 23.1 million, which he had deposited, in a safe box of the Private Security Company here in Johannesburg, South Africa. The lives and future of my family depends on this fund as such I will be grateful if you can assist us. In view of this, I cannot invest this fund in South Africa hence my asking you to assist me to transfer it out of South Africa for investment purposes in your country.

For your efforts, I am prepared to offer you 25% of the total sum while 3% will be set aside for expenses incurred during the course of this transaction and the remaining 72% is for the family investment in your country. Now, all I want you to do is to furnish me with your full addresses, your country of origin, your personal phone and fax numbers, for further details regarding this transaction.

Please note that this transaction is risk-free and the major thing I ask of you is to assure me the safety of the money when transferred to your account in your country. Further information and arrangement will commence as soon as trust confidence and good relationship is established. I shall be most grateful if you maintain the confidentiality required in this transaction.

Finally, you can call my son Charles on my phone to enable you and him to discuss more about this transaction TELL: +27-73-589-5594

I wait for your prompt response

Thanks and God bless,

Mrs. Maria Band

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