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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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Please note about this email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Joseph Awye" <josephawye@msn.com>
Reply-To: joeawaye@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Fri, 18 Nov 2005 03:28:51 +0000
Subject: WORK WITH ME.

Your candid attn;
 
Good day to you, and Compliments. I got your email contact through Internet search during my  research on someone who could help me work out this little Banking problem relating to a late  customer of our Bank of whom the Bank requires me to provide a next of kin to his unclaimed over  due dormant account.
 
I am an accountant with GLOBAL BANK PLC. My name is Joseph Awaye. I was an Accounts officer to  Eng. Alfred Garcia, a National of your Country, who was a contractor with the DEPARTMENT OF  PETROLEUM RESOURCES VICTORIA ISLAND, LAGOS, who here-in-after shall be referred to, as my  customer.
 
On January 30, 2000, my customer (Engr. Alfred Garcia), his wife, and their three children were  involved in the Kenya airways flight with registration number 5Y-BEN which departed from Nairobi  to destination Lagos and the family all died in a fatal air crash on that January 30, 2000. Since  then I have made several inquiries to your embassy to locate any of my client's extended  Relatives. This has also proved unsuccessful.
 
After these several unsuccessful attempts, I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and property left behind by my customer before they get confiscated or declared  unserviceable by the bank where these huge deposits were lodged. Particularly the GLOBAL BANK PLC, where the deceased had an account Valued at about ($10.8 million U.S Dollars) has issued me  a notice to provide the next of kin to my client, or have the account confiscated within the next  ten official working days.
 
Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 2 years now, I seek your  consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased (believing you would be competent to  handle it), so that the proceeds of this account valued at ($10.8 million US Dollars) can be paid  to you and then you and me can share the money, 45% to me and 45% to you and 5% for any charity organization in your country. While 5% for unforeseen bottlenecks we might incur in this  transaction. An attorney will be contracted to help us revalidate and notarize all the necessary  legal documents that can be used to back up any claim we may make.
 
All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us seeing this deal through. I guarantee that  this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you and me from any breach of the law. And I need to assure you that this transaction is 100% risks free and very legal.
 
Best regards,
Joseph Awaye.
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