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: "mariam hajia" <mrs_hajiamariam_98_7@msn.com>
Date: Thu, 08 Sep 2005 03:43:07 +0000
Subject: Waiting on your response.

From: Hajia Mrs. Mariam Abacha

Hello,

I have a proposal for you, this however is not mandatory nor will I in any
manner compel you to honour against your will. I got your contacts through
my personal research, and I must say out of desperation too, I decided to
reach you through this medium. I will give you more information as to this
issues when you respond back.

I am the wife of the deposed late General Sani Abacha who until his death
was the Nigerian military head of state between November 1993 and June 1998.

I want to repose great confidence in you, hence my approach to you - due to
security network placed on my day-to-day affairs, so that was why I decided
to contact you and I hope you will not betray my confidence in you.There's a
deposited sum of $115 Million Dollars with a security company at Benin Du
Republic [Cotonuo] - name is witheld for now - until we open communication.
Furnish me with your phone/fax number.

I shall be grateful if you could receive this fund into your custody for
safe-keeping and i will like to inform you that this
arrangement is known only to you and my first heir [Mohammed Abacha] alone!

Please observe utmost confidentiality and expedite action if you are willing
to help my family through. I shall accrue to you 30% of this fund. I will
want you to know that honesty is the watch word in this transaction, I will
greatly appreciate if you accept my proposal in good faith.

Sincerely yours,

Hajia Mrs. Mariam Abacha

[For The Family]



--

Anti-fraud resources: