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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: "kenneth harris" <hp_hp_harris@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: hpkenneth1@hotmail.ro
Date: Wed, 09 Nov 2005 12:50:22 +0000
Subject: PLEASE HELP.

Dear Friend,

I am Mr Kenneth Harris, Deposit Manager with First Atlantic Securityand
Finance Services, Lagos State ofNigeria. A foreigner an American, late
Bob Williams who died On January 31 aboard Alaska Airlines Flight 261,
which crashed into the Pacific Ocean not far from Los Angeles, while
returning from his Country from a business trip.

I am contacting you to help assist me in ensuring that the funds lodged
by my client with his Financial and Security Firm is not decleared unclaimed
hence my reason for this contact to you.

This Financial Firm has issued me a notice to contact the next of
kin,or the account will be confiscated.My proposition to you is to seek your
consent to present you as the next-of-kin and beneficiary of my late
client,so
that the proceeds of this account can be paid to you,Then we can share the
amount on a mutually agreed-upon percentage.

All legal documents to back up your claim as my client's next-of-kin
will be provided. All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see
this transaction through.

This will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect
you from any breach of the law. If this business proposition offends your
moral values,do accept my apology,and ignore this mail.

However if you are willing to assist me in this venture I will
establish a verbal telephone communication with you and bring you into a
much
better picture of the situation.

Yours faithfully,
Mr. Kenneth Harris
Deposit Manager
First Atlantic Security & Finance Services


Anti-fraud resources: