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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. John Barnes" <johnbarnesfamily5@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 13:31:20 +0000
Subject: Very Urgent Please.

DEAR FRIEND,

FIRST AND FOREMOST,I MUST SOLICIT YOUR STRICTEST CONFIDENCE IN THIS
TRANSACTION AND I PRAY THAT MY DECISION TO CONTACT YOU WILL BE GIVEN ENUINE
APPROVAL CONSIDERING THE FACTS WE HAVE NOT KNOWN EACH OTHER BEFORE, I WISH
TO USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE MY SELF TO YOU. I AM MR. JOHN BARNES,
FROM LIBERIA,WEST AFRICA.

I AM THE FIRST SON OF LATE MR. MOSES BARNES, HE WAS A DIAMOND/GOLD MERCHANT
IN OUR COUNTRY.MY LATE FATHER HAD A BULLET SHOT BY THE REBELS ON HIS WAY
TRAVELLING OUT OF MY COUNTRY WITH TWO OF MY KID SISTER'S DUE TO PRESENT
CRISIS THAT IS OCCURING IN MY COUNTRY(LIBERIA).MY SISTER'S DIED ON THE SPOT
WHILE U.N.PEACE KEEPING FORCEESCUED MY LATE FATHER,HE WAS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL
FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT WHICH HE LATER DIED.

BEFORE HIS DIED HE REAVEALED TO ME AND MY MOTHER ABOUT THE BOXES CONTAINING
$16.5 MILLION US DOLLARS.WHICH HE DEPOSITED WITH A SECURITY COMPANY IN GHANA
FOR SAFE KEEPING . MY LATE FATHER DID NOT DISCLOSE THE CONTENT OF THE BOX TO
THE SECURITY COMPANY,HE ALSO TOLD THE CURITY COMPANY THAT THE SAFE BELONGS
TO HIS FRIEND WHO IS A FOREIGNER BUT DIDN'T MENTION ANY NAME.TO AVIOD THE
OFFICIALS FROM RAISING EYE BROWS TO THE FUNDS.

AND MY LATE FATHER ALSO TOLD ME THAT IT IS DANGEROUS TO INVEST THIS MONEY IN
AFRICA TO AVIOD SUSPICIONS,AND DUE TO MARKET INSTABILITY, COUPLED WITH
ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL INSTABILITY FACING AFRICAN COUNTRIES,THAT IS WHY WE
WANT TO INVEST IN ABROAD.

FOR YOUR MUTUAL ASSISTANCE. PRESENTLY MYSELF AND MY MOTHER ARE HERE IN ACCRA
GHANA ,AND WE ARE STAYING IN THE REFUGEE CAMP, I AND MY MOTHER HAVE AGREED
TO OFFER YOU 20% OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE MONEY,ALL THE VITAL DOCUMENTS
COVERING THE DEPOSIT AND THE OWNERSHIP IS HERE WITH MY MOTHER WHICH I CAN
SEND TO YOU THROUGH FAX ON REQUEST.

THEREFORE I WANT YOU TO HELP ME AND CLIAM THE BOX FROM THE SECURITY
COMPANY,AND INVEST IT IN A VERY GOOD BUSINESS. NOTE:I HAVE NEVER DISCLOSED
THIS TO ANY PERSON APART FROM YOU,SO YOU HAVE TO KEEP THIS TRANSACTION AS A
TOP SECRET TO YOURSELF ALONE.WHICH I WILL WANT YOU TO FORWARD ACROSS TO ME
YOUR DIRECT TEL/FAX NUMBER FOR MORE INFORMATIONS ABOUT THIS TRANSACTION.

KINDLY GET BACK TO ME ON MY PRIVATE E-MAIL ADDRESS-: johnbarnes2@inbox.com.

I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR EARLIEST REPLY.

BEST REGARDS,

JOHN BARNES

FROM MR. JOHN BARNES

_________________________________________________________________
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