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: "Oba F.Wilfred." <frank_wilfred@walla.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: obawilfred023@yahoo.co.in
Date: Mon, 19 Sep 2005 17:08:49 +0200
Subject: Dear Partner

Attn/Pls Dear Partner,

I,would like to apply through this medium for your
co-operation and to secure an opportunity to invest
and do joint business with you in your country.
I,am contacting you believing you are a honest and
trustworthy person,and also believe you will not
betray the confidence i am willing to repose in
you,for me to have contacted you even though we've not
met before.

Personally,my name is Mr.Oba Wilfred,the only son of
late Mr.Frank Wilfred,who was the
chairman/President/CEO,Cacao-Cafe & Agro-Alimentary
industries Plc,and a well known Diamond Merchant and
he made the money in sales of Diamonds,and the fund is
safely deposited with a Holding Company here in
Dakar/Senegal,and the money is due to me as
Inheritance.

On,Monday August 4,2003 a group of so called rebel
forces took over the city of(MONROVIA)to over-throw
the Government of Mr.Charles Taylor,the President of
LIBERIA.and on the 20th day morning at about 4:18am
some fractions of the same group of rebels forces
break into our house and killed our security guard and
pass-through the gate entrance to the main building
and took my father away to an un-known destination.
After,about four hours later we found him (my
father)at the road side,by then he had been totally
beaten and was bleeding to death lying in the pool of
his own blood.From there,we rushed him to a near by
hospital and hours later he sent for my mother.So he
told me and my mother that he can not make it from the
doctors diagnosis,he also told us that it was because
he (my father) was not from the northern part of the
country that he has been treated this way and also
being a political activist.And again he said he is
suspecting some of his business partners for
conspiracy and this sort of brutality.

He,also told me and my mother that he deposited a huge
amount of money i.e Eight Million United States Dollar
(US$8,000,000.00) in a holding company in the Capital
city of Senegal (Dakar) and also told me and my mother
where he kept the whole documents concerning this
deposit that is made for investment purpose in the
western world.

That same day,he (my father) gave up the ghost.Then
with the help of the Nigerian soldiers,called (ECOMOG)
we escaped to Dakar/Senegal, where we are now.I am now
contacting you believing you are honest and
trustworthy to help/assist us to retrive and receive
the money in your account for proper investment,in
your country and also accept us in your country as
your own blood family.

Your able co-operation is to become our business
partner in your country and create ideas on how money
will be invested,properly managed and the type of
investment after the money is transferred to your
custody with your honest help and assistance.
Meanwhile,on indication of your willingness to handle
this transaction sincerely by protecting our interests
and upon your acceptance of this proposal,I would
furnish you with the full detailed
information,procedure,and mutually agree on your
percentage interest or share holding for helping us to
secure the release of the deposit and investing the
money in your country under your proper management and
care.

I shall be glad to reserve this respect and
opportunity for you,if you so desire,but do urge you
to give this matter your immediate attention it
deserves.If this proposal is acceptable by you,please do not
make undue advantage of the trust i bestow on you,and
please do take your time to go through the mail and
get back to me immediately as your urgent call and
reply today is highly needed,for more detailes
informations and oral talks.

Looking forward to your urgent call and positive reply
today and a mutual healthy business relationship with
you,and God bless.

Best regards,and have a peacefully and cool day.

Yours Faithfully,
Oba F.Wilfred.
In Dakar/Senegal.



Anti-fraud resources: