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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: "DAVID FRANK" <frankdavid_915@msn.com>
Date: Wed, 09 Nov 2005 00:48:59 +0000
Subject: URGENT RESPONSE NEEDED

Dear Friend,
I AM SENDING YOU THIS LETTER IN COMPLETE TRUST AND CONFIDENCE BELIEVING
THAT
YOU WILL ACCORD ME THE SAME GESTURE.I DONT KNOW WHO YOU ARE NEITHER DO
YOU
KNOW ME BUT I BELIEVE THAT IT IS ONCE PEOPLE GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER.AND
SINCE THIS BUSINESS INVOLVES SUCH A HUGH AMOUNT OF MONEY,IT WILL BE
IMPORTANT THAT UPON YOUR REPLY,A DETAIL INFORMATION OF WHOM YOU ARE
WILL BE
NECCESSARY AND VERBAL CORRESPONDENCE WILL ALSO BE CONVINCING ENOUGH.
MY NAME IS MR Frank David ERSTWHILE LEGAL ADVICER AND PERSONAL
ASSISTANCE
TO AN AMERICAN CONTRACTOR WITH SHELL PETROLEUM IN NIGERIA WHO DIED IN
2003
IN AGHASTLY AUTO CRASH ALONG WITH HIS WIFE AND ONLY SON.
I HAVE REPRESENTED HIS LEGAL INTEREST AS FAMILY AND BUSINESS ATTORNEY
AND
ALSO AS HIS PERSONAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS AND HAD BEEN VERY
CLOSE TO HIM TILL THE POINT OF HIS DEATH AND THIS PUTS ME IN THE
POSITION TO PRESENT A BONAFIDE NEXT OF KIN SINCE HIS DEATH, I HAVE MADE
SEVERAL INQUIRIES TO YOUR EMBASSY TO LOCATE ANY OF MY LATE'S CLIENT
CLOSE
RELATIVE BUT HAVE PROVED ABOTIVE.
MY CLIENT LEFT THE SUM OF $10 MILLION WORTH OF CASH WITH A BANK
HERE.THUS I
HAVE
BEEN MADATED BY VIRTUE OF MY POSITION AS HIS P.A TO TO EFFECT THE
RELEASE OF
THE HIS PROPERTIES AND CASH TO ANY PERSON
APPROVED BY ME.
SINCE THE BANK HAS GIVEN ME A DEADLINE OF PRODUCE THE NEXT OF KIN OR
HAVE
THE ACCOUNT CONFISCATED, IT BECOMES IMPERATIVE FOR ME TO SOLICIT YOUR
ASSISTANCE TO RECIEVE THIS MONEY IN YOUR ACCOUNT FOR ME
ALL I NEED FROM YOU IS YOUR HONESTY AND COFIDENTIALITY TO SEE THIS
THROUGH.FOR YOUR EFFORT YOU WILL RECIEVE 20% OF THE TOTAL SUM,70% FOR
ME AND
10% WILL BE MAPPED OUT FOR LOGISTICS.
IF YOU ARE VERY MUCH READY TO PROCEED WITH ME, THEN CONTACT ME WITH MY
PRIVATE EMAIL ADDRESS:(mr_frank_1020@yahoo.ca)
AND I WILL DIVULGE MORE INFORMATION TO YOU
BEST REGARDS.
Mr Frank david


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