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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: "Ade Williams" <adewilliams101@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 23 Nov 2005 15:14:11 +0000
Subject: Good Day!

I am Ade Williams, a Solicitor at law. I am the personal attorney to Mr.
Mark Glenn, a nationality of your Country who was a Seasoned Contractor with
Shell Petroleum Company in Lagos. He unfortunately died with his family in a
plane crash of Union Transport Africaines Flight Boeing 727 in Cotonou,
Benin republic on December 26,2003. You will read more stories about the
crash on visiting this website:


I have made several enquiries to your embassy to locate any of my clients
extended relatives, all to no avail. After these several unsuccessful
attempts, I decided to seek your assistance.

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 bank where his huge deposits were lodge. Particularly, Standard Finance
Plc, where the deceased had an account valued at about five Million,Five
Hundred And Twenty Two Thousand United States Dollars (US$5.522M) has issued
me a notice to provide the Next of Kin or have the account confiscated
within the next ten official working days.

Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 4 Months
now I seek your consent to present you as the Next of Kin of the deceased so
that the proceeds of this account valued at (USD5.522M) can be paid to you
and then you and I can share the money. 50% to me, 10% will be set aside for
expenses and 40% to you.

I have all necessary legal documents that can be used to back up any claim
we may make. All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this
deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate
arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.

please i would need you to forward to me informations on how i can contact
you and do not forget to include your most confidential telephone and fax
numbers.

Yours truly,

Ade Williams (Esq.)


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