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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: "ROBERT TAYLOR" <robert_taylor47@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 10 Oct 2005 15:12:20 +0200
Subject: FROM: MR. ROBERT TAYLOR.

FROM: MR.ROBERT TAYLOR,
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA.
TEL: +27-83-992-5113

ATTIN: DEAR,

GREETINGS !

I KNOW YOU WILL BE SURPRISE TO RECEIVE THIS LETTER FROM ME HENCE YOU DONT
KNOW ME IN PERSON. AS A MATTER OF INTRUDUCTION, I AM MR. ROBERT TAYLOT, A
SOUTH AFRICAN AND THE CHIEF AUDITOR OF AMALGAMATED BANK OF SOUTH AFRICA
(ABSA) IT IS MY PLESURE TO DO THIS BUSINESS WITH YOU, THERE IS AN ACCOUNT
OPENED IN THIS BANK IN 1980 AND SINCE 1990 NOBODY HAS OPERATED ON THIS
ACCOUNT AGAIN. AFTER GOING THROUGH SOME OLD FILES IN MY OFFICE, I DISCOVERED
THAT IF I DO NOT REMIT THIS MONEY OUT URGENTLY IT WOULD BE FORFEITED.

THE OWNER OF THIS ACCOUNT IS MR.SMITH B. CLARK, A FOREIGNER AND A MINER AT
KRUGER GOLD COMPANY .A GEOLOGIST BY PROFFESSION DIED IN 1990. NO ONE KNOWS
ABOUT HIS ACCOUNT OR ANYTHING CONCERNING IT, AND THE ACCOUNT HAS NO OTHER
BENEFICIARY AND MY INVESTIGATION PROVES TO ME AS WELL THAT HIS RELATIVE DOES
NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS MONEY, THE AMOUNT IN THE ACCOUNT AT THE MOMENT
IS (US$10. 5) MILLION DOLLARS CASH(TEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED
STATES DOLLARS).

AS THE MONEY IS IN CASH I NEED A FOREIGN PARTNER/ACCOUNT TO TRANSFER THE
MONEY OUT OF OVERSEAS THUS I AM CONTACTING YOU. PLEASE KINDLY INDICATE AND
IF SO CONTACT ME ON THE ABOVE PHONE NUMBER OR EMAIL TO ENABLE ME INFORM YOU
ON THE NEXT STEP TO TAKE.

I NEED YOUR FULL CO-OPERATION TO MAKE THIS TRANSACTION WORK BECAUSE THE
MANAGEMENT IS READY TO APPROVE THIS PAYMENT TO ANY FOREIGNER WHO HAS CORRECT
INFORMATION ON THIS ACCOUNT, WHICH I WILL GIVE TO YOU IF YOU INDICATE YOUR
INTEREST. I HOPE YOU CAN BE ABLE TO HANDLE SUCH AMOUNT IN STRICT CONFIDENCE
BECAUSE THIS OPORTUNITY WILL NEVER COME AGAIN IN MY LIFE. I NEED TRUTHFUL
PERSON IN THIS BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP BECAUSE I DONT WANT TO MAKE ANY MISTAKE
I NEED YOUR STRONG ASSURANCE AND CONFIDENTIALITY.

WITH MY POSITION NOW IN THE OFFICE I CAN TRANSFER THIS MONEY TO ANY RELIABLE
FOREIGN ACCOUNT WITH ASSURANCE THAT THIS MONEY WILL BE INTACT PENDING MY
PHYSICAL ARRIVAL IN YOUR COUNTRY FOR SHARING. ALL DOCUMENTS REGARDING THIS
TRANSACTION WILL BE DESTROYED ONCE I RECEIVE CONFIRMATION OF THE MONEY IN
YOUR ACCOUNT THUS LEAVING NO TRACE TO ANYTHING.

I WILL APPLY FOR AN ANNUAL LEAVE TO GET VISA IMMEDIATELY ON CONFIRMATION TO
RECEIVE THIS FUND INTO YOUR DESIGNATED ACCOUNT WITH APPROPRIATE CLEARANCE
FORMS FROM THE MINISTRIES AND FOREIGN EXCHANGE DEPARTMENTS.AT THE CONCLUSION
OF THIS TRANSACTION YOU WILL BE GIVEN 40% OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT, 60% WILL BE
FOR ME.

KINDLY CALL ME ON MY DIRECT PHONE NUMBER: +27-83-992-5113 BEFORE SENDING AN
E-MAIL MESSAGE TO MY ALTERNATIVE EMAIL ADDRESS : rotaylor47@hotmail.com FOR
SECURITY REASONS. I AM EXPECTING YOUR REPLY URGENTLY.

BEST REGARDS,

MR.ROBERT TAYLOR.


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