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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: "mariam mobutu" <mariam_mobutu@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 28 Sep 2005 18:31:43 +0000
Subject: FOR THE SAKE OF GOD I NEED YOUR ASSIATANCE

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am Mrs. Mariam mobutu Sese-Seko widow of late president Mobutu Sese-Seko
of Zaire? Now known as democratic republic of Congo (DRC).I received your
company profile from the chambers of commerce in morocco. I am moved to
write you this letter; this was in confidence considering my present
circumstance and situation. I escaped along with my husband and two of our
sons mark and Mukoko out of Democratic Republic Of Congo (DRC) to Abidjan,
Cote d?Ivoire where my family and I settled, while we later moved to settled
in morocco where my husband later died of cancer disease.However due to this
situation we decided to change most of my husband's billions of dollars
deposited in Swiss bank and other countries into other forms of money coded
for safe purpose because the new head of state of (DRC)Mr. Laurent Kabila
has made arrangement with the Swiss government and other European countries
to freeze all my late husband's treasures deposited in some European
countries. Hence my children and I decided laying low in Africa to study the
situation till when things gets better, like now that president Kabila is
dead and the son taking over(Joseph Kabila). One of my late husband's
chateaux in southern France was confiscated by the French government, and as
such I had to change my identity so that my investment will not be traced
and confiscated.

I have deposited the sum of thirty eight million six hundred thousand United
States dollars (us$38,600,000,00.)With a security company,in Europe for safe
keeping.

The funds are security coded to prevent them from knowing the content. What
i want you to do is to indicate your interest. That you will assist us by
receiving the money on our behalf. Acknowledge this message, so that I can
introduce you to my son (mark) who has the out

modalities for the claim of the said funds.

I want you to assist in investing this money into any profitable investment
for the better of my children future, but I will not want my identity to be
revealed. I will also want to buy properties and stock in multi-national
companies and to engage in other safe and non-speculative investments.

May I at this point emphasize the high level of confidentiality, which this
business demands, and

hope you will not betray the trust and confidence, which I repose in or
taking the advantage of my situation to cheat me off this funds which is my
hope to train my kids further . In conclusion, if you want to assist us, my
son shall put you in the picture of the business, tell you

where the funds are currently being maintained and also discuss other
modalities including remunerations for your services. For this reason kindly
furnish us your contact information, that is your personal telephone and fax
number for confidential purpose and acknowledge receipt of this mail.

Best regards,

MRS M. SESE-SEKO.


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