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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: "john morris" <johnmorriseone@msn.com>
Date: Sun, 13 Nov 2005 03:01:54 +0000
Subject: URGENT

My Dear,

My name is john morris a retired Colonel in the Liberian Army, a close
aide
and confidant of Mr. Charles Taylor,
the former Liberian president. During the civil war in Sierra Leone (a
neighbouring African country) that lasted several years, the rebel
Revolutionary United Front (RUF), which fought against the legitimate
Sierra
Leone government, was actively supported by former

President Charles Taylor on account of his differences with the Sierra
Leone
president. He provided training bases, military and political
assistance for the rebels in exchange for an unrestrained access to
arguably, the second largest deposit of Diamond in the world –the
mines were under the control of the RUF.

I was the man the former president appointed in charge of all diamond
transactions between the Liberian leader and the RUF. During this
period,
Liberia became the conduit pipe through which all mined diamonds from
Sierra
Leone were sold in the international market under my watchful eyes.
This continued, until the RUF was finally routed by a government
backed
international coalition led by the U.K., under the auspices of the UN,
two
years ago.

In a sudden twist of fate, a coalition of an anti-Taylor movement in
Liberia
launched a guerrilla campaign in 2000, to oust former President Taylor
from
power. However, following a large-scale humanitarian crises resulting
from
the conflict, the international community led by the US, has put
pressure on
Mr. Taylor to resign/step
aside, as the panacea for ending the conflict, which he finally
accepted and
resigned his presidency on August 11, 2003. The UN War Crimes Tribunal
in
Sierra Leone also
indicted Taylor for war crimes, over his role in the Sierra Leone Civil
war.
As a result of this development, the former president sent me to London
to
solicit help on his behalf after which he adviised me to reside in
London,
and up to the present time lam residing in London.Well,I have the sum
of
$50MUSD (Fifty million US dollars only),

Being part of the proceeds from the over 5 years diamond transaction
that I
supervised for the former president, and I need your co-operation in
moving
these funds to a safety place overseas.

I have made a perfect arrangement to move these funds into your care
within
a few days without risk at both ends, Please indicate your willingness
to
co-operate with me and provide me with your contact details (your
telephone
and fax etc, for confidential communications) as time is of essence.I
have
been reliably informed that some people send fraudulent letters to
unsuspecting individuals overseas making bogus claims. Please be
informed
that this is not such letters as my claims are true,

authentic and verifiable. Should you have any question, feel free to
contact
me, but treat this transaction with absolute confidentiality.

Awaiting your prompt response,

Kind regards,
john morris


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