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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.Smith Emeka" <smith_emeka@msn.com>
Date: Mon, 10 Oct 2005 13:44:40 +0000
Subject: Mr. Roy J.Elder

Dear Elder,

I am highly delighted to be in contact with you and sorry for the
embarrassment this mail might be to you as we have not met or known each
other before.

My name is Mr.Smith Emeka. I was a good friend to Late Mr. Roy J.Elder, a
national of your country, who until his death has no wife nor son or
daughter to claim his assets hence he was buried here.

He was a contractor and has spent most of his life in my country Nigeria. My
good friend was involved in a car accident along Benin/Onitsha express road
and unfortunately lost his life on the 27th day of September 2003 at
Onitsha. Since then I have made several enquiries to your country embassy to
locate any of my friends extended relatives, this has also proved
unsuccessful hence: he has no next-of-kin at the time of his death.

After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to contact you since
all my effort to trace or locate any member of his family failed me so that
you as a foreigner will assist me as my late friend next-of-kin in
repatriating the assets and Capital valued at US$6.4 Million left behind by
my friend
before it gets confiscated by the bank where these huge deposits were lodged
as treasury bills.

The said Bank in Nigeria has issued me a notice to provide the next of Kin
or have the treasury bill confiscated. Since I have been unsuccessful in
locating any of my friend's relatives for over two years and four months
now, I seek the consent to present you as the Next-of-kin to the deceased
since you has the same last name with my late friend, so that the proceeds
of this treasury bill can be paid to you.

Therefore, on receipt of your positive response, we shall then discuss the
sharing ratio and modalities for claim. I have all the necessary information
and legal documents needed to back you up for the claim. All I require from
you is your honest cooperation to enable us see this transaction through.

I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that
will protect you from any breach of the law. Reply through my alternative
email address: smith_emeka@mail.ru

I wait to hear from you soon.

Best regards,

Mr.Smith Emeka


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