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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: "Fidelis Duke" <fidelisduke1@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: fidelisduke@freenet.de
Date: Mon, 05 Sep 2005 09:47:30 +0000
Subject: VERY URGENT

Mr. Fidelis duke
Manager,Internal Audit
Foreign Remittance Dept,
Union Bank Plc,
36Broad Street,
Victoria Island,Lagos.

Attn: Sir/Madam,

My name is Mr. Fidelis duke. An account officer to late
Mr.Craig Jones who use to worked for an oil firm in
Nigeria.Mr Craig Jones a well known Philanthropist,
Charity Organisation, Humanitarian Body or Reputable
Individual before he died, he made a WILL stating that
$18.2M(Eighteen million,two hundred thousand U.S.
dollars only)should be donated to any Philanthropist
of our choice oversea and your email was randomly
picked as the beneficiary of the said funds.

We have made a random draw and your e-mail address was
picked as the beneficiary to this Will.I am
particularly interested in securing this money from
the Bank,because they have issued a notice instructing
me being the account officer to produce the beneficiary
of this Will within two weeks or else the money will
be credited to the Government treasury as per law
here.It is my utmost desire to execute the WILL of my
late client as was instructed when he was alife.

You are required to contact me immediately to start
the process of sending this money to any of your
designated official account or your off-shore
account.I urge you to contact me immediately for
further details bearing in mind that the Bank has
given us a date limit,Please act fast.

Please include your phone and fax numbers as you are
replying this mail.

Congratulation as I await your urgent reply.

Yours faithfully,
Mr. Fidelis duke
Reply to Fax: 234 1 7744126 E.mail: fidelisduke@freenet.de


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