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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: "Thompson Johnson" <thompsonjohnsonftb@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: jthompsonftb@lawguru.com
Date: Tue, 22 Nov 2005 17:45:16 -0700
Subject: RE: URGENT MESSAGE YOUR RESPOND IS NEEDED.

Thompson Johnson & CO.
Barrister & Solicitors,
Zionwards Chambers,
Suite 6, 3rd Floor,
118 Lord Lurgard Street, Lagos Island.
P.O.Box 75519,
Victoria Island,
Lagos, Nigeria.
E-mail:jthompsonftb@lawguru.com

***********************************************************************
RE; TRANSFER OF $15M (FIFTEEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS)
***********************************************************************

DEAR PROSPECTIVE FRIEND ,

I hope that this letter will not constitute a sort of
embarrasement to you.Please bear with me let
me introduce myself.I am Barrister Thompson Johnson, a
private attorney to the deceased as mentioned here in.

Mr.Shawn Smith, a National of your
country,who was a consultant with an Oil
servicing Company in Nigeria and a personal
friend who died and left behind his deposit in a
FINANCIAL TRUST BANK OF NIGERIA valued at US$15,000,000
My relationship with Late Mr.Shawn Smith in
1992 when I was working with (FIFTEEN MILLION UNITED
STATES DOLLARS). the Finance House
as the Legal Advisor, We met in my social
club's annual end of the year party and I
introduced him to the Finance company where
he deposited his funds some few weeks later.
As a result of my assistance to, he made me his
LEGAL Officer to the account which he
operated until his unfortunate demise. On the 1st
of June 2001, Mr. Mr.Shawn Smith , his wife and their three
children were involved in a car accident
All his family members who were with him lost
their lives. Since then I have made several
enquiries to locate any of Mr.Shawn's
extended relatives, this has also proved
unsuccessful. After several unsuccessful
attempts to locate any member of his family,
hence I have contacted you.
I am contacting you to assist in repatriating the
money left behind by Mr Shawn before they
get confiscated since the BANK has declared
the account unserviceable. I have been
unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 2 years now .

I there fore seek your consent to present you as
the Next of Kin of the deceased so that the
proceeds of this account valued at
US$15,000,000 (FIFTEEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS)
can be paid to you and then you and I can
share the money. 60% for me and 40% to you.
I have access to all 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 see this transaction through.
I guarantee that this transaction will be
conducted under a legitimate arrangement that
will protect you from any breach of the law.
Note:send to me your full names, telephone and
fax numbers to enable us discuss further about
this transaction. Please me on my private email at
jthompsonftb@lawguru.com:for more details.


Best regards,
Barrister Thompson Johnson.



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