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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 Dede Kuruma" <dedekuruma@rediffmail.com> (may be fake)
Date: Tue, 16 Aug 2005 16:12:40 +0400
Subject: Mr Dede Kuruma

DEAR FRIEND,

MY NAME IS DEDE KURUMAA FORMER GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL IN LIBERIA.
FOLLOWING THE EXIT OF PRESIDENT CHARLES TAYLOR OF LIBERIA FROM POWER
UNDER A WEST AFRICA BROKERED PEACE AGREEMENT LED BY NIGERIA'S PRESIDENT
OLUSEGUN OBASANJO WE HAVE BEEN GRANTED ASYLUM BY THE NIGERIA GOVERNMENT.
IN MY POSITION AS THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE PRESIDENT CHARLES
TAYLOR AND A CLOSE CONFIDANT, I LEFT FOR NIGERIA IN HIS ENTOURAGE.
MY COUNTRY HAS BEEN ENGULFED IN A PROTRACTED CIVIL WAR WITH REBELS
CONTROLLING SOME PART OF THE COUNTRY. DURING THE WAR, PRESIDENT TAYLOR
DISBURSED LARGE SUMS OF MONIES TO BUY THE LOYALTY OF THE ENTIRE CABINET,
AND I CAN SAY WITH ALL MODESTY THAT I WAS ONE OF THE CHIEF
BENEFICIARIES OF THE DISBURSEMENT. HOWEVER, WHEN WE LEFT LIBERIA, I
DEPOSITED THE WHOLE MONEY (US$15MILLION) THAT I MADE WHILE WE WHERE IN
GOVERNMENT IN A SECURITY COMPANY IN COTONOU, THE REPUBLIC OF BENIN ON
OUR WAY TO NIGERIA SINCE I COULD NOT SEEK ASYLUM CARING SUCH VOLUME OF
CASH.
YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THAT IN MY PRESENT POSITION, I AM HANDICAPPED AND
CANNOT DO ANYTHING UNTIL I HAVE THIS CASH SECURE SOMEWHERE SAFE AND WITH
SOMEBODY RELIABLE WHO CAN MANAGE THE MONEY FOR ME. MY INTENTION IS TO
LIVE THE REST OF MY LIFE IN A PLACE AS FAR AWAY AS ASIA AND THAT IS WHY
I AM CONTACTING YOU TO ASSIST ME IN RECEIVING THIS MONEY SO THAT I CAN
HAVE ACCESS TO CASH THROUGH YOU AND BE ABLE TO ARRANGE TO TRAVEL TO JOIN
YOU WITH THE MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY.
I ALSO WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT A FRIEND OF MIND HERE HAS INTRODUCED ME TO
A DIPLOMAT THAT IS WILLING TO MOVE THE CONSIGNMENT CONTAINING MY MONEY
FROM THE SECURITY COMPANY TO YOUR DOOR STEP AT ANY TIME YOU SO DESIRE.
PRIOR TO THE MOVEMENT OF THIS CONSIGNMENT, I SHALL SEND YOU THE KEYS TO
THE CONSIGNMENT CONTAINING THE MONEY AND UPON ARRIVAL AT YOUR
DESTINATION, YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO CHECK THE CONTENT OF THE CONSIGNMENT
AND ASCERTAIN THAT IT CONTAINS THE COMPLETE AMOUNT (US$15MILLION) BEFORE
EFFECTING ANY DELIVERY CHARGES TO THE DIPLOMAT.
ALL THAT IS REQUIRED OF YOU IS SOMETHING WITH WHICH TO IDENTIFY YOU WHEN
DELIVERY WILL BE MADE (I.E. DRIVER’S LICENCE OR ANY OTHER FORM OF
IDENTIFICATION) AND A COMPREHENSIVE ADDRESS OF WHERE THE DELIVERY WILL
BE MADE. IF YOU ARE WILLING TO BE OF ASSISTANCE IN THIS REGARDS, I SHALL
GIVE YOU THE NAME OF THE DIPLOMAT AND HIS TEL. NO. SO THAT YOU CAN
ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH HIM AND FAMILIARIZE WITH HIM BEFORE HE ARRIVES
YOUR COUNTRY.
YOU SHOULD HOWEVER HAVE IT IN MIND THAT I AM BANKING ON YOUR UTMOST
HONESTY AND TRUSTWORTHINESS FOR THIS WHOLE TRANSACTION TO SUCCEED.
YOU CAN REACH ME ON MY E-MAIL ADDRESS:dedekuruma@rediffmail.com IF YOU NEED
ANY FURTHER CLARIFICATION.
I AWAIT YOUR MOST URGENT RESPONSE.
BEST REGARDS.
MR DEDE KURUMA


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