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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.

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Fraud email example:

From: "Gray Douglas" <mailgraydoug@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: mailgraydoug@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 02 Nov 2005 18:54:01 +0000
Subject: IMVESTMENT FUND FOR YOUR URGENT ATTENTION!

IMVESTMENT FUND FOR YOUR URGENT ATTENTION!

Dear Sir/Madam:

We are members of the "Contract Review/Award Committee", Ministry of
Petroleum Resources, Nigeria. We search for an agent who will assist us in
the transfer and receipt of Twenty Seven Million, Five Hundred Thousand US
Dollars US$27.5.Million) and subsequent investment of same in lucrative
ventures in your country.

You will be required to;( 1) Assist in the transfer/claim of the fund, (2)
Advise on lucrative area(s) of investment, and (3) Assist in the management
of same investments after the successful transfer of the funds into the
account you will provide. For your services as mentioned above you shall be
rewarded with 20% of the total sum/fund, while 10% of the investments profit
shall be paid to you annually.

We await your urgent and positive response so that we can work out all the
modalities for the wire/transfer of the fund to your account. Do keep this
transaction to yourself only due to our position. It is a top secret. It is
only you and us that knows the source and everything about this money. Feel
free to direct your questions to me if any.

We will follow all the legal proceedures required both in our country and in
your country so that nobody's interest will be jeopardized. In other words,
this transaction is risk-free.

Thanks for your attention and expected co-operation,

Prince Gray Douglas.


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