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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 nkosi" <johnnkosi05@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 23 Nov 2005 07:36:29 +0200
Subject: FROM JOHN NKOSI

FROM JOHN NKOSI
johnnkosi_06@yahoo.com
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
TEL/FAX:27-11-507-5670

Dear Sir/Madam,
PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL

I am John Nkosi (FCAA), the chief accountant of African Development Bank
(ADB). There is an online account opened in this bank in 1999 and since 2001
nobody has operated this online account. After going through some old files
in the records, I discovered that if I do not remit this money out urgently
it would be forfeited for nothing. The owner of this account is Mr. Smith B.
Zafer, a foreigner, and a miner at Kruger Gold Company. He Was a Geologist
by profession and he died since 2000. No other person knows about this
account or anything concerning it, the account has no other beneficiary and
my investigation proved to me as well that this Company does not know
anything about this account and the money involved is Fifteen Million United
States Dollars (US$ 15 Million). You are the only person that I have
contacted in this Business; so Please reply urgently so that I will inform
you the next step to take immediately. Send also your telephone and fax .

Meanwhile, I am contacting you because of the need to involve a foreigner
with a foreign account as a beneficiary. I need your full co-operation to
make this work fine because the management is ready to approve this payment
to any foreigner who has correct information of this account, which I will
give to you as soon as you indicate your sincerity to co-operate with me,
and capability to handle such amount in strict confidence and trust,
according to my instruction and advice, for our mutual benefit because this
opportunity may never come again in my life. I need a truthful and God
fearing person in this Business because I don’t want to make a mistake so I
need your strong assurance and trust. With my position in the office I don’t
want anything that will jeopardize my job so I advice that we should make
secrecy and confidentiality our primary working condition, bearing in mind
that I am a public servant. I will also use my position and influence to
effect legal approvals and onward transfer of this money to your account
with appropriate clearance forms from the ministries and foreign exchange
department. I will compensate you adequately depending on the terms we shall
agree on subsequently. You can get back to me on this email address:
johnnkosi_06@yahoo.com

I look forward to your earliest reply.

Yours sincerely,

JOHN NKOSI


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