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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: "usman bello" <usmanbello_05@msn.com>
Date: Fri, 12 Aug 2005 22:50:00 +0000
Subject: URGENT REPLY

FROM: BARR USMAN BELLO
35 MARINE STREET
VICTORIA ISLAND LAGOS.
Our REF:ADB/20011XB83308/009
002341-802-383-9968
I AM BARR USMAN BELLOA LEGAL LUMINARY BASED IN LAGOS- NIGERIA AND
BY VIRTUE OF MY PROFESSION AND HARDWORK I MADE FAME AND BECOME ONE
OF THE WELL KNOWN LAWYER AMONG MY PEERS.THIS LETTER MIGHT COME AS
A SURPRISE TO YOU BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT MEET FORMALLY BUT BY ALL INTENT
I HAVE NO OPTION . I HAVE CLIENTS AMONG THE BIG MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES
BASED HERE IN MY COUNTRY BUT PRESENTLY I AM IN A DILEMA. I HAVE
A CLIENT BY THE NAME MY MR BORIS ELKHOURY A LEBANESE IS CITIZEN
DOING BUSINESS HERE IN NIGERIA.BEIGN HIS LAWYER I HAVE ACCESS TO
MOST OF HIS BUSINESSES/CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS . MR .ELKHOURY DEAD
IN A GHASTLY MOTOR ACCEDIENT 1 YEAR AND 8 MONTHS NOW. PRECISELY
, 6 MONTHS AGO HIS BANKERS CALLED IN MY OFFICE AND I WAS DETAILED
BY THE BANK ABOUT THE DEPOSIT HE HELD WITH THE BANK AND IN HIS ACCOUNT
BALANCE WITH THE BANK CONTAINS THE SUM OF US$7.5MILLION. AFTER MY
MEETING WITH HIS BANKERS WHOM I AM WELL -KNOWN TO AS HIS LAWYER,THEY
INFORMED ME THAT I SHOULD CONTACT MR . ELKHOURY NEXT OF KINS
TO COME AND COLLECT THE DECEASED DEPOSIT BEIGN THE ACCOUNT BALANCE
WITH THE BANK. TO MY GREATEST WORRY ALL EFFORTS I HAVE MADE TO REACH
ANY OF HIS RELATIVES HAS PROVEN ABORTIVE AND FOR THIS PAST 6 MONTHS
I HAVE PERSONALLY TRAVELLED MYSELF TO BEIRUT ,LEBANON TO LOCATE
THEM BUT TO NO AVAIL. FOR THE PAST 3 WEEKS I HAVE BEEN RECEIVING
A LOT OF PRESSDEAR SHI, URE FROM THE BANK AND THEY HAVE NOTIFIED
ME THAT IF THE LATE MR. ELKHOURYS NEXT OF KIN FAILS TO COME FOR
THE DEPOSIT THAT THE BANK WILL USE THE BANKING LEGISATION TO CONFISICATE
THE DEPOSIT AND TRANSFER IT TO THE STATES ACCOUNT AND THIS SIMPLE
MEANS THAT THE MONEY WILL BE PAID INTO THE BANKS TREASURY AND AUTHOMATICALLY
IT BECOMES THE GVERNMENT MONEY BECAUSE IT HAS NO CLAIMANT AND IT
IS FOR THIS REASON THAT IAM CONTACTING YOU, BECAUSE WHOEVER I PRESENT
TO THE BANK AS LATE MR. ELKHOURY NEXT OF KIN IS NOT QUESTIONABLE
WITH THE LEGAL DOCUMENTS IN MY POSSESSION. WE STAND TO MAKE A LUCRATIVE
PROFIT IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ASSISTING
ME TO ACHIEVE THIS OBJECTIVE BY PROVIDING YOUR ACCOUNT FOR THE
TRANSFER OF THIS MONEY AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO LATE MR. ELKHOURY .
I WILL TAKE CARE OF ALL THE RQUIRED DOCUMENTS THAT WILL POTRAY YOU
AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO LATEMR.BORIS ELKHOURY. I WISH TO STATE THAT
THIS IS 100% RISK FREE AND IF YOU ARE INTERESTED AND CAPABLE OF
WORKING WITH ME TO REALISE THIS OBJECTIVE I AM WILLING TO GIVE OUT
20% OF THE TOTAL SUM TO YOU WHILE I TAKE 70% AND DO CONTACT ME VIA
THIS EMAIL ADDRESS (u_bello080@yahoo.co.uk ) PRIVATE CELLPHONE
AND FAX NUMBER FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR QUESTION. REGARDS AND
GOD BLESS WHILE I AWAIT YOUR RESPONSE. YOURS
FAITHFULLY
BARR USMAN BELLO


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