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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: "pedro barretto" <pedrobarretto10@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: pedro_barretto1920@yahoo.it
Date: Fri, 19 Aug 2005 00:58:57 +0000
Subject: GET BACK TO ME

Beloved Friend,

Getting your contact was not an easy task because since I am not computer
literate, I ordered my son to seek a partner very far away and he went to
the institute of International Business to apply and he paid them the
charges. My name is Pedro Barretto the personal assistant to the sig.
Stefano Tanzi who is the son of Don Calisto Tanzi the founder of Parmalat
Food and Diary Co. in Italy. I mean to speed up your attendance in the
execution of one transaction of transactions. It is my sincere conviction
that maneggierete this transaction with absolute confidentiality, the
maturity and the maximum sense of scope.

Some months ago, Don Calisto Tanzi was accussed of siphoning off a large
volume of funds from the company. Hour, its son (sig. Stefano Tanzi) has
confidato $40 million USD to me. This cash is secured in 2 trunk boxes that
is being lodged with a security company. The boxes are lodged and secure
with a PIN code which I have the instruction. I have travelled to Ulm,
Germany where I am in the hidding in the underground from which I am
communicating with you currently. We have need of your attendance in the
collection of the boxes them from the company of security and the lodgement
of the moneies in the banking system in your country and for the investment
of the moneies in the real estate. Since I am in the underground, I cannot
execute the physical transaction in person.

On on your acceptance, I will telefax your information to the security
company and they will acknowlege you as the beneficiary of the funds. Please
do make contact with me immediately so I can give you detail on how to
proceed with this commerce. And dont worry, when you contact me I will tell
you what we will give you for your effort to success of the commerce.

I greet,

Pedro Barretto
Pedro Barretto
Telefone: 49-692-557-7039
Facsimile: 49-731-230-9012


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