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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.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: MR PATRICK <patrick20012006@yahoo.fr>
Reply-To: patrick20012005@netscape.net
Date: Tue, 04 Oct 2005 13:31:57 +0200
Subject: URGENT REPLY


DEAR FRIEND,
THE NEED TO INVOLVE A REALIABLE AND HONEST PERSON TO TRANSFER OUT U.S.$29,400,000.00 FROM MY EMPLOYERS(TRUST AND CREDITORS DAKAR SENEGAL) HAS MADE ME TO SEEK YOUR ASSISTANT BELIEVING THAT YOU WILL NEVER LET ME DOWN EITHER NOW OR IN THE FUTURE.
I AM MR PATRICK KALU ,A STAFF OF TRUST AND CREDITORS DAKAR SENEGAL . THERE IS AN ACCOUNT OPENED IN THIS BANK IN 1985 AND SINCE 1998 NOBODY HAS OPERATED ON THIS ACCOUNT AGAIN. AFTER GOING THROUGH SOME OLD FILES IN THE RECORDS I DISCOVERED THAT IF I DO NOT REMIT THIS MONEY OUT URGENTELY IT WILL BE FORFEITED FOR NOTHING. THE OWNER OF THIS ACCOUNT WAS MR BERG OLSON WHO DIED SINCE 1998.
I AM ONLY CONTACTING YOU AS A FOREIGNER BECAUSE THIS MONEY CAN NOT BE APPROVED TO ANY LOCAL BANK HERE BUT CAN ONLY BE APPROVED FOR TRANSFER TO ANY FOREIGN ACCOUNT BECAUSE THE MONEY IS IN U.S DOLLARS AND I WILL NOT LIKE TO LOSE SUCH A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY.
I NEED YOUR CO-OPERATION TO MAKE THIS WORK FINE, BECAUSE THE MANAGEMENT OF THE BANK IS READY TO APPROVE THIS PAYMENT TO ANY FOREIGNER WHO HAS THE CORRECT INFORMATION TO THIS ACCOUNT WHICH I WILL GIVE TO YOU WHEN YOU ASSURE ME OF YOUR CAPABILITY TO HANDLE SUCH AMOUNT IN STRICT CONFIDENCE AND TRUST, ACCORDING TO MY INSTRUCTIONS AND MY ADIVICE FOR OUR MUTUAL BENEFIT,I NEED YOUR STRONG ASSURANCE AND TRUST.
I WILL APPLY FOR MY RESIGNATION AFTER THE FUNDS HAS BEEN TRANSFERED INTO YOUR ACCOUNT AS THIS WILL ENABLE ME TO COME TO YOUR COUNTRY AND
COLLECT MY SHARE FROM YOU AND INVEST A GOOD PART OF IT IN YOUR COUNTRY ON PROJECTS YOU WILL ADVISE ME AS LUCRATIVE IN YOUR COUNTRY.
I WILL USE MY POSITION AND INFLUENCE ON OTHER CO-STAFF TO EFFECT LEGAL APPROVALS AND ONWARD TRANSFER OF THIS MONEY TO YOUR ACCOUNT WITH APPROPRIATE CLEARANCE FROM PROBATE REGISTRY & FOREIGN PAYMENT DEPARTMENT.WITH ASSURANCE THAT THIS MONEY WILL BE INTACT PENDING MY PHYSICAL ARRIVAL IN YOUR COUNTRY FOR THE SHARING AND OTHER INVESTMENT.
AT THE CONCLUSION OF THIS BUSINESS,I WILL GIVE YOU 25% OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT,I SHALL TAKE 75% OF THIS MONEY.HOPING THAT THIS SHARING RATIO IS ACCEPTED BY YOU. IF YOU ARE INTRESTED IN MY PROPOSAL CONTACT ME WITH MY BELOW EMAIL ADDRESS:
I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR EARLIEST RESPONSE
YOURS TRULY,
MR.PATRICK KALU
patrick20012005@netscape.net

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