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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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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: <bradleyjs2@netscape.com>
Date: Tue, 20 Dec 2005 06:09:24 -0800 (PST)
Subject: ATTENTION NEEDED

Dear Friend,
 
I apologize if this mail message does not suit your personal or business ethics.I write to seek your cooperation and assistance to enable me make proper investments in the economy of your country.
 
My name IS BRADLEY JONES and I am a U.K based attorney.I had  client to a German Immigrant property magnate,now deceased.He died with his wife and their two children in year 2000 in the New York bound Air France concord plane crash.For more information regarding the crash please visit:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm
Since then I have been managing his properties here in the U.K..There are ome of his properties put out for sale before his death which I monitored  and for which payment has just been made.The money paid was deposited into his local account here.I have contacted you to assist in repatriating all the money left behind by my client before it gets confiscated or the account declared unserviceable by his bank.
The bank has already issued me a notice to provide any of his next-of-kin  within a short time.Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for some time now, and with the bank giving me deadline, I now seek your consent to present you as the
next of kin of the deceased, so that the proceeds of this account valued at 15.5 million dollars can be paid to you.
 
We can both agreed on a mutually acceptable percentage to be shared between you and me.But I hereby propose we share the funds 60/40 percent ratio ( 60%-to me and 40% to you ).I can provide all necessary information that can be used to back up this financial claim we are to 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.Trust me, as his attorney; this is a risk-free business.
A swift acknowledgement of the receipt of this mail would be appreciated.My secured email address is:(bradsmithj@yahoo.co.uk)
I remain obliged,
Bradley Jones

 

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