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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: "Prince Paul" <princepaul@pelely.com>
Reply-To: ppelely1965@wanadoo.es
Date: Tue, 27 Sep 2005 19:03:34 +0000
Subject: THANKS IN ANTICIPATION.

DEAR FRIEND,

COMPLIMENTS OF THE MOMENT. MY NAME IS PRINCE PAUL PELELY, THE PERSONAL AID
TO EX-PRESIDENT OF LIBERIA, CHARLES TAYLOR, CURRENTLY LIVING IN ASSYLUM IN A
NEIGHBOURING WEST AFRICAN COUNTRY.

AS THE PERSONAL AID TO THE EX-PRESIDENT OF LIBERIA, THERE IS A FUND LODGED
WITH A FINANCIAL HOUSE SOMEWHERE IN ABROAD AND BY THE REASON OF MY
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE THEN GOVERNMENT IN POWER, I AND ONLY I ALONE KNOW
ABOUT THIS FUND ASIDE THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE IS EVERY
NEED TO CHANGE THE STATUS OF THESE FUNDS FOR SAFETY REASONS. I AM SOLICITING
FOR YOUR COOPERATION TO HELP US CHANGE THE DEPOSIT STATUS OF THIS FUND. THE
PRINCIPAL SUM HERE IS $20.5M.

THIS MONEY IS MY REASON FOR CONTACTING YOU AT THIS TIME. I MAY NOT KNOW YOU
BEFORE NOW, BUT I COULD BE LUCKY TO MEET IN YOU, SOMEONE WHO WILL NOT TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES ON THE GROUND TO CHEAT.

WHEN THIS MONEY IS SUCCESSFULLY CLAIMED, THERE COULD EQUALLY BE THE NEED FOR
YOU TO ASSIST ME IN INVESTING PART OF THE MONEY IN CAPITAL PROJECTS AS I
WILL NOT WANT TO KEEP SAVING IT WITH FINANCIAL OR SECURITY HOUSES.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, YOU CAN BE REST ASSURED THAT IT WILL WORTH ALL YOUR
EFFORT. I HAVE EVERY INFORMATION THAT WILL ARM YOU IN THE EVENT THAT YOU
WANT TO ASSIST ME IN SAFEGUIDING THIS MONEY. I AM ONLY APPEALING TO YOU.

I WOULD BEG OF YOU NOT TO REPLY TO THIS MAIL IF YOU ARE NOT SOMEONE I COULD
ACCOMPLISH THIS WITH. THE PREVAILING SITUATION MAKES IT PRACTICALLY
IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME ACCOMPLISH THIS PERSONALLY, HENCE MY CONTACTING YOU AND
THE EALIER WE REMOVE IT FROM ITS INITIAL DEPOSIT STATUS, THE BETTER FOR US.
I WISH YOU ARE A VERY KIND AND HONEST PERSON.

WHEN I HAVE YOUR EXPRESSED AND GENUINE INTEREST TO ASSIST ME IN THIS
TRANSACTION, I SHALL WITHOUT HESITATION, FURNISH YOU WITH ALL THE NECESSARY
INFORMATIONS YOU MAY NEED TO CARRY IT OUT. AND WHEN I FEEL SAFE WITH YOU, WE
COULD DO MORE BUSINESS. WE SHALL TALK OF YOUR PERCENTAGE AS WE MOVE ON.

AND LASTLY, WE SHALL RESTRICT THIS TRANSACTION VIA E-MAIL FOR SECURITY
REASONS, BUT YOU COULD LET ME HAVE YOUR PHONE NUMBERS SO THAT AT THE
SLIGHTEST OPPORTUNITY I HAVE, I COULD GIVE YOU A CALL TO AT LEAST KNOW YOU
BETTER.

THANKS IN ANTICIPATION.

YOURS SINCERELY,

PRINCE PAUL PELELY.


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