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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: "Carl Mars" <tocarlmars@msn.com>
Reply-To: tocarlmars@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 04 Nov 2005 17:10:29 +0000
Subject: let this be between me and you

Dear Friend,

I am Carl Mars, and am contacting you strictly on business transfer of a sum of 9.8m pounds from a deceased account. I decided to contact you due to the urgency of this transaction.

I was the account officer to Dr. Mohamed Jubril (deceased), one of our foreign customers. While he banked with us at Platinum Bank, London England. I oversaw and monitored his accounts and other official/financial obligations .Unfortunately, he died along with his family in the plane crash of 31 October, 1999 on board the Egyptian Airline 990 alonside other passengers. Please consult the website below for verification.
<http://www.greatdreams.com/PassEAir990.htm>
www.greatdreams.com/PassEAir990.htm <http://www.greatdreams.com/PassEAir990.htm<http://www.greatdreams.com/PassEAir990.htm><http://www.greatdreams.com/PassEAir990.htm>.

While he was alive, none of his family members was ever known to me other than his immediate nuclear family,and ever since his death, none of his relations has come forward to lay claims to this money as the heir.and there's no how the money can be released from his account unless someone applies for claim as the next-of-kin to the deceased as indicated in our banking guidelines.
Having made a very frantic and exhaustive for search of any of his family members for the claim of the fund,all proved abortive. I then decided to seek your coporation to have you stand as next of kin to the deceased and get the money released to you. Note that this purely and strictly a deal between just the two of us and must be treated confindentially. We shall discuss the terms and %s dued to us as we proceed on this deal.

Upon your reply, I will lead you on the way forward by writing an official application letter to the bank for the release of the money. I must assure you that if you are committed and follow my instructions carefully, then this funds will be released to you within a seven-working-day period.
If this proposal is acceptable by you, i want you to furnish me with your data;

your full name and address

your company name and address

phone and fax number.

I await your urgent mail.
Regards,
Carl Mars

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