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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: "George Campbel" <george_campbel@msn.com>
Reply-To: george_campbel@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 04 Nov 2005 10:02:05 +0000
Subject: COMPLIMENT OF THE YEAR TO YOU

ICON ASSOCIATES
45/46 NICON HOUSE Ste 4
COTONOU  BENIN REPUBLIC.
From the desk of: george campbell (ATTORNEY)
HEAD OF CHAMBER
Our Ref...Your Ref...Date 05-11-005

ATTENTION: SIR, 
I am a lawyer resident and practicing in COTONOU, 
BENIN REPUBLIC and I am using this correspondence to urgently seek and
request your assistance and cooperation in a sensitive but highly beneficial
financial arrangement.

AN Important client of mine whose details I
cannot release at this point has implored me to contact a reliable and
trustworthy partner overseas to urgently receive and handle funds totaling fiften
MILLION US DOLLARS (US$15.M) in CASH presently lodged in a
security/finance outfit in LONDON (UK). Due to my client's inability
to travel out of the country presently and the fact that we continue
to accumulate huge debts daily as long as this consignment remains in
the security company we need a friend and partner to proceed as soon
as possible and retrieve this money on behalf of my clients and handle
it as duly instructed.

We intend to compensate you with  15%  of the fund for your assistance  and 5% for any
contingencies. We expect this deal to be completed
within 14 (fourteen) working days, and all our
transaction shall be in accordance with the laws and
procedures on international remittance of fund.
Thank you in anticipation of your cooperation and hoping
to hear from you soon.

Yours' sincerely,
george campbell (ATTORNEY)
HEAD OF CHAMBER

Anti-fraud resources: