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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: "Mark Edward" <MrMarkEdM@netscape.net> (may be fake)
Date: Sun, 9 Oct 2005 10:57:13 +0100
Subject: ACCOUNT PROVISION FOR $22 MILLION USD

MR.MARK EDWARD (JP)
CHAIRMAN, ECOWAS CONTRACTOR'S
DEBT RECONCILIATION/APPRAISAL BOARD
ACCRA - GHANA

GOOD DAY,

ACCOUNT PROVISION FOR $22 MILLION USD

MY NAME IS MR.MARK EDWARD, CHAIRMAN ECOWAS CONTRACTOR'S DEBT RECONCILIATION/APPRAISAL BOARDS I AM CONTACTING YOU TO INQUIRE FROM YOU IF YOU CAN ASSIST ME SAFEGUARD FUNDS AMOUNTING TO $USD 22 MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS LEFT BY OUR LATE FOREIGN CONTRACTOR WHO UNFORTUNATELY LOST HIS LIFE IN THE PLANE CRASH OF ALASKA AIRLINES FLIGHT 261 WHICH CRASHED ON FEBRUARY 4, 2000, INCLUDING HIS FAMILY LEAVING NOBODY TO CLAIM THE MONEY.YOU CAN READ MORE NEWS ABOUT THE CRASH ON VISITING THIS WEB SITE.
(http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/02/01/alaska.airlines.list)
WHO'S PROVIDED ADDRESS COULD NOT BE TRACED SINCE HE DIED ALONG WITH HIS FAMILY MEMBERS.YOU WILL BE PRESENTED AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASED TO ENABLE OUR ORGANISATION TRANSFER THE MONEY TO YOU. AT THE END OF THE TRANSACTION,YOU WILL BE COMPENSATED WITH 25% OF THE TOTAL MONEY.THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK FREE BUT SHOULD BE KEPT SECRET AND CONFIDENTIAL DUE TO MY POSITION IN ECOWAS I WILL GIVE YOU MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE TRANSACTION WHEN I RECIEVE YOUR AFFIRMATIVE RESPONSE.I CAN BE REACHED ON MY SECURED E MAIL :markedward_jp@latinmail.com

NOTE:DUE TO MY POSITION NOW,I HAVE THE DECEASED CONTRACT FILE WITH ME INCASE OF ANY QUESTION FROM OUR ORGANISATION WHEN THE DEAL STARTED AND ALSO THE PROCESS TO PUT CLAIM ON THE FUNDS AS THE NEXT OF KIN WILL BE LEGALLY PROCESSED TO AVOID ANY BREACH OF LAW OF OUR COUNTRIES

NOTE: THIS TRANSACTION WILL BE STRICTLY BASED ON THE FOLLOWING TERMS AND CONDITIONS AS I HAVE STATED BELOW:

(A)MY CONVICTION OF YOUR TRANSPARENT HONESTY AND DILIGENCE.

(B) THAT YOU WOULD TREAT THIS TRANSACTION WITH UTMOST SECRECY AND CONFIDENTIALITY

(C) THAT YOU WILL NOT ASK FOR MORE SHARES OR TRY TO SIT ON THE FUNDS ONCE IT IS UNDER YOUR CUSTODY, OR ANY FORM OF BLACKMAIL TO ALLOW YOU RUN AWAY WITH THIS FUND.

(D) THAT UPON RECEIPT OF THE FUNDS YOU WILL RELEASE THE FUNDS AS INSTRUCTED BY ME AFTER YOU HAVE REMOVED YOUR SHARE OF 25% FROM THE TOTAL AMOUNT BEFORE MY ARRIVAL IN YOUR COUNTRY AS IT MIGHT TAKE ME TIME TO RETIRE AND GET MY TRAVEL DOCUMENTS READY BEFORE ARRIVING.


THANKS FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING,

LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU SOONEST.

YOURS FAITHFULLY.

MR.MARK EDWARD (JP)




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