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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: "MARIE-LOUISE FOE FOE" <marielfoe@msn.com>
Reply-To: marielfoe@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Wed, 05 Oct 2005 00:10:07 +0000
Subject: YOUR FULL NAME AND ADDRESS, TEL AND FAX NUMBER.

DEAR FRIEND,

I AM MRS MARIE-LOUISE FOE FROM CAMEROUN, THE WIFE OF LATE MR. MARC-VIVIEN
FOE, THE CAMEROONIAN FOOTBALL PLAYER, WHOM DIED DUE TO HEART FAILURE
PROBLEMS ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD DURING THE CONFEDERATIONS CUP MATCH 2003.

SINCE HIS DEATH, I HAVE BEEN PASSING THROUGH FAMILY PROBLEMS WITH HIS FAMILY
MEMBERS, WHICH THEY HAD TO FREEZE THE WHOLE ACCOUNTS AND HIS PROPERTIES HE
HAD BOTH IN CAMEROON AND IN U.K AND TOOK IT TO THEMSELVES. BUT LUCKILY FOR
ME I HAVE WITH ME $5.6M DOLLAR WHICH I WITHRAWED FROM ONE OF HIS BANK
ACCOUNTS HERE IN CAMEROON WITHOUT HIS FAMILY MEMBERS AWARENESS AND SINCE
THEN THE PRESSURE FROM HIS FAMILY MEMBERS HAD BECOME SO MUCH THAT I COULD
NOT BEAR ANY LONGER.

THAT IS WHY I HAVE DECIDED NOW TO MAKE A MOVE BY TAKING THIS MONEY HE GAVE
TO ME PRIVATELY INTO YOUR COUNTRY AND INVEST IT AND THAT IS WHY I HAVE
CONTACTED YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE TO HELP ME BRING IT IN SAFELY.

THIS MONEY HAS BEEN DEPOSITED WITH CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON (EUROPE) LTD
LONDON BRANCH WHICH I NOW WANT TO INVEST FOR ME AND MY CHILDREN'S BENEFITS.
AFTER I HAD FINISHED MOURNING HIM. I WANT YOU TO HELP ME BRING THIS MONEY
INTO YOUR COUNTRY AND ALSO ASSIST ME TO INVEST IT THERE IN YOUR COUNTRY IN
LANDED ASSETS, SHARES OR ANY OTHER PROFITABLE VENTURES ACCORDING TO YOUR
RECOMMENDATION. I WILL GIVE YOU 30% OF THE TOTAL MONEY FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE.

PLEASE I AM COUNTING ON YOU TO HELP ME. AND I WISH TO HAVE YOUR FULL
DETAILS, LIKE YOUR FULL NAME AND ADDRESS, TEL AND FAX NUMBER.

A PROMPT RESPONSE WOULD BE HIGHLY APPRECIATED.

THANKS.

BEST REGARDS,

MRS MARIE FOE


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