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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: "gentletiger gentletiger" <gentletiger2005@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: gentletiger2005i@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2005 03:25:20 +0100
Subject: SOLICITORS & ADVOCATES OF LAW




???????????????????????????????????
SOLICITORS & ADVOCATES OF LAW
LONDON - UK

DEAR FRIEND,

I AM CONTACTING YOU ON BEHALF OF A CLIENT OF MINE WHO NEEDS URGENT ASSISTANCE AND I FEEL YOU COULD BE THE PERSON WE REALLY NEED TO DO THIS. THIS IS SOMETHING VERY CONFIDENTIAL AND YOUR UTMOST TRUST AND CONFIDENCE WILL HIGHLY BE NEEDED IN THIS REGARDS.

MY CLIENT IS AN EX-MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS IN ONE OF THE EUROPEAN COUNTRIES AND IS CURRENTLY FACING CHARGES OF GROSS FINANCIAL MIS-CONDUCT AND CORRUPT PAYMENTS RUNNING INTO SEVERAL MILLIONS OF EUROS; €10M (TEN MILLION EUROS) TO BE PRECISE. HE MAY ALSO BE SENTENCED FOR TAX CHEAT CHARGES.THE TRIBUNAL IS BENT ON ENSURING THAT MY CLIENT PAYS THE ENTIRE MONEY AFTER THE RULING AND MY CLIENT HAS REFUNDED €2M (TWO MILLION EUROS) TO THE GOVERNMENT SO FAR.

THE CRUX OF THE MATTER NOW IS THAT MY CLIENT WHO CONFIDES IN ME TOLD ME HE ACTUALLY HAS SOME MONEY DEPOSITED SOMEWHERE AND WANTS MY ASSISTANCE IN SAFE GUIDING THESE FUNDS BY LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO HELP HIM TAKE POSSESSION OF THE FUNDS. THIS IS BECAUSE MOST OF HIS BANK ACCOUNTS HAD BEEN FROZEN AND PROPERTY CONSFICATED BY THE GOVERNMENT AND HE IS VIRTUALLY BANKRUPT AT THE MOMENT.

MY EMBATTLED CLIENT HAS THE SUM OF €3.5M OR $5.1M UNITED STATES DOLLARS DEPOSITED SOMEWHERE AND WOULD WANT YOU STAND AS THE BENEFICIARY TO THESE FUNDS AND TAKE POSSESSION OF THE FUNDS. MY CLIENT IS WILLING TO COMPENSATE YOU WITH A MILLION DOLLAR ($1M USD) FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE; THIS AMOUNT IS HOWEVER SUBJECT TO NEGOTIATION IF YOU FEEL THE OFFER IS NOT OKAY BY YOU.

IF YOU FEEL YOU ARE THE PERSON WE ARE LOOKING FOR AND WE CAN TRUST YOU ON THIS, PLEASE INDICATE YOUR INTENTION TO ASSIST BY PROVIDING ME WITH YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION WHICH MUST INCLUDE YOUR TELEPHONE/FAX NUMBER AS WELL AS YOUR FULL NAME AND ADDRESS FOR US TO PROCEED FURTHER. UPON THE RECEIPT OF THIS INFORMATION, I WILL GIVE YOU THE FULL DETAILS OF MY CLIENT’S IDENTITY AS WELL AS MINE. THIS IS A SECURITY MEASURE TO PROTECT MY CLIENT FROM LOOSING THESE FUNDS IF THE GOVERNMENT FINDS OUT AS I DO NOT KNOW WHO I AM DEALING WITH AT THE MOMENT.

I AWAIT YOUR SWIFT RESPONSE TO MY EMAIL. AND FINALLY; PLEASE ACCEPT MY UNRESERVED APOLOGY FOR ENCROACHING YOUR PRIVACY WITH THIS MAIL.

YOURS IN SERVICE,

A.W. (Solicitors and Advocates of Law)

Tel: ?????????????
--

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