joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: "Raymond Peter Peter Alam" <raypeteralam@msn.com>
Reply-To: peteralam_raymond@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 23 Nov 2005 01:44:53 +0000
Subject: Hello. urgent !

My Dear Friend.
How are you and your family I hope fine.
It is with trust and believes that I write to you.I am
Barrister Raymond p. Alam. I am the personal attorney to Mr
Melchot Lopez, a national of your country, who used to
work with shell development company in Lagos and as well
One time Group managing Director Melhar Oil Nigeria Ltd.

Before his death On the 21st of April 2003 [Mr Melchot,
his wife and His only Son were involved in a car accident
along sagbama express road in which all occupants of the
motor died}. My client Melchot deposited as family
belongings in a bank{i.e.Gold jewelries}and the sum of
$40.5m in Standard Trust Bank Plc here in Nigeria for
Himself with the hope of transferring it to his country as
soon as he is on leave. I have made several enquiries to
your embassy to locate any of my clients extended relatives
this has also proved unsuccessful

After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to
trace his last name over the Internet, to locate any member
of his family hence I contacted you. I have contacted you
to assist in Repatriating the money and property left
behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared
unserviceable by the Standard Trust Bank Nigeria Plc where
these (Money) were Deposited.

Particularly,the Union Bank Nigeria Plc where the
deceased Deposited the money valued at about $40.5M
USD dollars has issued me a notice to provide the next of
kin with in the next ten official working days.
I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over
2years now I seek your consent to present you as the next
of kin of the deceased so that the proceeds of this
(Money) valued at $40.5m million dollars can
be claim by you, and then you and me can share the money
60% to me and 30% to you and the other 10% will be for
expenses each of us mighty make, I have all necessary legal
documents that can be used to back up any claim we may
make.

Please,I require in you a honest cooperation to enable us
see this dealt through. I guarantee that this will be
executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect
you from any breach of the law. Please get in touch with me
Immediatly for more information to enable us discuss More.
private email address: (peteralam_raymond@yahoo.com)
Congratulation!!!
Best regards,
Barrister Raymond p. Alam. (ESQ)


Anti-fraud resources: