joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: "MRS SHAIK MANOEPA" <shaik661@msn.com>
Reply-To: mrsshaik661@myway.com
Date: Wed, 31 Aug 2005 11:37:42 +0000
Subject: ATTEND TO THIS

Dear Sir/Madam

                                CONFIDENTIAL

I presume this letter will come to you as a surprise but as things unfold, we will know each other better and how I got your contact. I would start by introducing myself to you. I am Mrs Mamoepa Shaik, the wife of Mr Schabir Shaik , the Former Finance Adviser to the Ex-deputy President Mr Jacob Zuma. I am very sure that you will be of a good assistance after carefully reading my letter.  

In short to be sincere and honest with you, the present situation of things now in my home looks sad following the investigations of the Judge of the Durban High Court on my husband and Mr Jacob Zuma, the Ex-deputy President. I am under threat and fear daily by the Security operatives trying to find more about my husband’s financial involvement, to support the allegation of corruption in connection with Mr Jacob Zuma as his has been established and sentence passed.  

I want to use this opportunity to move the sum of US$5.5 Million (FIVE MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND US DOLLARS) into your custody for safe keeping, since my husband, Mr Schabir Shaik is in prison and the government is still investigating the Corruption Relationship allegation levelled against him and his Boss, Ex-Deputy President Mr Jacob Zuma, in conjunction with a French Arms Manufacturer in order to establish a convenient legal case in the next court sitting on 11th October, 2005.  

Be informed that this said amount was given to my husband as gratification from some Foreign Minerals and Energy Companies he helped in securing Allocation for the Drilling of Solid Minerals In South Africa. As a Civil Servant, he does not want to be exposed as if he knew what was about to happen. Therefore he gave me this money to deposit in the form of jewellery in a security company with a network of branches in Africa, Europe, Asia and America, so that he can exonerate himself from the eyes of the Government security operatives and Transparency International, the body that scrutinizes the activities of all civil servants in South Africa as checks and balances against official misconduct.  

Hence the source of this said money is clean and clear. This money is deposited in a security company in the United Kingdom in a Trunk Box as jewellery, and my intention to transfer the trunk box out of South Africa in order to avoid more problems for a name was more important than anything else in the whole world. All I need now is for you to send me your contact address and other information, to enable the security company turn the Trunk box containing the US$5.5 Million to your name as the beneficiary and transfer it to their Office near to you. This would be done with the aid of our Lawyers in London. 

My husband will be happy to hear that you helped to free the political carrier of Mr Jacob Zuma as a Zulu, if the Government Security Operatives find out that my husband, Mr Schabir Shaik, has such money while still under Mr Jacob Zuma as Finance Adviser, it will jeopardise the political carrier of Mr Jacob Zuma and he stands to loose his political support base. So, as you receive this mail and you feel that you can not help, please do keep it to yourself. For it took the Zulus long years of protest before we get to where we are today. So, on receiving your response and your willingness to help as regards to this, I will furnish you on the next line of action to take immediately, and also provide you with the contact details of the lawyers in London who will help expedite this process.  

Thanks and God bless your family.  

Yours Sincerely,

Mrs Mamoepa Shaik

Anti-fraud resources: