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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: "Marras Mbeti" <marrasmbeti@msn.com>
Reply-To: mrr_mbeti@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Fri, 16 Dec 2005 16:51:41 +0000
Subject: COME LETS WORK OUT THIS TOGETHER

Mr Marras H Mbeti.
Bank of Africa BENIN
Rue du Gouverneur Bayol Cotonou
ATTENTION:
Dear Sir,
I am Mr Marras H Mbeti the director in charge of Auditing and Accounting
Department of Bank of africa Benin, in West Africa, and also the account
officer
of Mr.Hassan Balhas Ghadar, a Lebanese. He was a Seasoned Contractor with
Benin Cement Company in Benin Republic; who unfortunately died in the plane
crash of Union Transport Africaines Flight Boeing 727 in Cotonou, Benin
Republic on the december 25,2003.
You may read more stories about the crash on visiting these websites:
http://english.pravda.ru/accidents/21/97/384/11653_Aircrash.html
http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/12/26/benin.crash
Before his death on the 25th December 2003, Mr.Ghadar had a fixed deposit
account with the bank and no other person outside the bank knows about this
account or any thing concerning it, the account has no other beneficiary
and my investigation proved that his supposed next of kin died along with
him in the crash. Since then I have made several enquiries to locate any
of my clients extended relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful. After
these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to contact you. I contacted
you to assist in transfering the money left behind by my client to your
nominated account before the bank confiscates the fund.
Consequently, since l have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for
over 5 weeks 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 US$9.6
million
can be paid into your account and thereafter you and l can share the money.
70% to me and my colleagues 30% to you.I have all necessary legal document
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 deal will be executed under a legitimate arrangement
that will protect you from any breach of the law. All document of
transaction
shall be destroyed immediately we receive this money leaving no trace to
any place.
If this proposal is acceptable to you, kindly email the following
information to me:
a. Complete names
b. Private telephone number
c. Private fax number
d. Private email
Until you write,have a nice day and God bless.
Sincerely,
Mr Marras H Mbeti.


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