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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: "Michael Pedro" <michapedro@jmail.co.za>
Date: Thu, 22 Sep 2005 11:15:41 -1200
Subject: Are you capable?

Important Message
to President / Managing Director.

From: Mr. Michael Pedro.

Good day to you,

I am writing on behalf of a client of my bank, Ecobank, who
died after winning the lottery. He wonUS$5,000,000.00 (Five
Million US Dollars) After hearing the good news he had a
stroke, He is a foreigner. I decided to seek for whom his
name shall be used as the next of kin as no one has come up
to be the next of kin. A foreigner in the sense that you
live abroad. He was 77 years old and he has no relative.

Now the funds are left unclaimed for, If it is not claimed
now it will be handed to the government as unclaimed funds.
I want you to claim for the funds as a relative, i will
give you the account no and the other details and you will
send it to the bank as the next of kin. I was a former
worker at the bank so i know their protocol and i will send
all the details to your email, we will share the total funds
50/50. I will take two million five hundred thousand us
dollars. You will take the rest for your work and
assistance. The whole process will be done in a day. It just
takes 24hrs. We want to use our share of the funds as an
investment. Once i hear a postive response from you i will
furnish you with all the other details. Please leave your
full name and contact details so that i can contact youback.

The most important thing is that can i trust you? Are you
capable of handling the funds? if interested send me an
email so that we can begin. This business is risk
free,everything will be done legally.

Pls get back to me through my private box:
( michapedro@jmail.co.za )

Thank you.

Respectfully submitted,
Mr. Michael Pedro.

Anti-fraud resources: