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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: "Samson Johnson" <john_sam22@msn.com>
Reply-To: john_sam22@ny.com
Date: Mon, 28 Nov 2005 17:07:30 +0000
Subject: DEEP FROM THE HEART

SAMSON JOHNSON
REFUGEE CAMP,
SOUTH AFRICA,

FIRST AND FOREMOST,I MUST SOLICIT YOUR STRICTEST CONFIDENCE IN THIS
TRANSACTION AND I PRAY THAT MY DECISION TO CONTACT YOU WILL BE GIVEN
GENUINE APPROVAL CONSIDERING THE FACTS WE HAVE NOT KNOWN EACH OTHER
BEFORE, I WISH TO USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE MYSELF TO YOU.

I AM SAMSON JOHNSON FROM LIBERIA,WEST AFRICA. I WRITE TO INFORM YOU MY
DESIRE TO INVEST,AND TO BUY A LIVING HOUSE IN YOUR COUNTRY. I AM THE
FIRST SON OF MR. WEAH JOHNSON, HE WAS A DIAMOND/GOLD MERCHANT IN MY
COUNTRY.MY FATHER HAD A BULLET SHOT BY THE REBELS ON HIS WAY TRAVELLING
OUT OF MY COUNTRY WITH TWO OF MY YOUNGER SISTERS DUE TO CRISIS THAT WAS
OCCURING IN MY COUNTRY(LIBERIA).MY SISTERS DIED ON THE SPOT WHILE
U.N.PEACE KEEPING FORCE RESCUED MY FATHER,HE WAS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL FOR
MEDICAL TREATMENT WHICH HE LATER DIED.

BEFORE HE DIED HE REAVEALED TO ME AND MY MOTHER ABOUT $10 MILLION US
DOLLARS.WHICH HE DEPOSITED WITH A BANK IN EUROPE FOR SAFE KEEPING. MY
FATHER DID NOT DISCLOSE THIS TO ANY ONE,TO AVIOD THE LIBERIAN GOVERNMENT
FROM RAISING EYE BROWS TO THE FUNDS.

PRESENTLY MYSELF AND MY MOTHER ARE HERE IN SOUTH AFRICA AND WE ARE
STAYING IN THE REFUGEE CAMP. HOWEVER, WE HAVE NOTIFIED THE SECURITY
COMPANY ABOUT OUR INTENTION TO CLAIM THE FUND WITH MY LATE FATHER'S
BUSINESS ASSOCIATE( AS IT WERE, IS YOU, WHEN ACCEPTED). THEREFORE I
WANT YOU TO LECTURE ME ON HOW BEST WE CAN INVEST THIS MONEY,BECAUSE MY
FATHER TOLD ME THAT IT IS DANGEROUS TO INVEST THIS MONEY IN AFRICA TO
AVIOD SUSPICIONS,AND DUE TO MARKET INSTABILITY COUPLED WITH ECONOMIC AND
POLITICAL INSTABILITY FACING AFRICAN COUNTRIES,THAT IS WHY WE WANT TO INVEST
IN ABROAD.

FOR YOUR MUTUAL ASSISTANCE, MYSELF AND MY MOTHER HAVE AGREED TO OFFER
YOU 30% OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE MONEY.

WE HAVE ALL THE VITAL DOCUMENTS COVERING THE DEPOSIT AND THE OWNERSHIP
WHICH I CAN SEND TO YOU ON REQUEST.

NOTE:I HAVE NEVER DISCLOSED THIS TO ANY PERSON APART FROM YOU,SO YOU
HAVE TO KEEP THIS TRANSACTION AS A TOP SECRET TO YOURSELF ALONE.
I WILL WANT YOU TO FORWARD ACROSS TO ME YOUR DIRECT TEL/FAX NUMBER FOR
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS TRANSACTION.

BEST REGARDS,

SAMSON JOHNSON.
(FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY)


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