joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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: ruth 2005 <ruth2005_2@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 21 Dec 2005 19:26:59 -0800 (PST)
Subject: plz i need ur help


DEAR,

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 RUTH BEN FROM GHANA. I WRITES TO INFORM YOU MY DESIRE TO INVEST,AND TO BUY A LIVING HOUSE IN YOUR COUNTRY.

I AM 24YEARS OLD AND THE DAUGTHER OF (CHEIF) JOHNSIN BEN MY FATHER BEFORE IS DEATH HE WAS A SHAIR HORDAR IN MY COUNTRY. MY LATE FATHER WAS SHOT BY ARMROBBER ON HIS WAY TRAVELLING TO TOGO.

THE .N.PEACE KEEPING FORCE RESCUED MY FATHER,HE WAS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT WHICH HE LATER DIED AFTER THREE MONTHS. BEFORE HE DIED HE REAVEALED TO ME AND MY MOTHER ABOUT THE TWO TRUNK BOXES CONTAINING ($45,000,000 MILLION) UNITED STATES DOLLARES.

WHICH HE DEPOSITED WITH A SECURITY COMPANY IN GHANA FOR SAFEKEEPING. MY FATHER DID NOT DISCLOSE THE CONTENT OF THE BOX TO THE SECURITY COMPANY.TO AVIOD THE OFFICIALS FROM RAISING EYE BROWS TO THE FUND. WHEN WE GOT TO THE SECURITY COMPANY,

WE WHERE TOLD THAT MY FATHER MADE AN AGREEMENT WITH THEM THAT THEY SHOULD NOT RELEASE THE CONSIGNMENT TO ANY OF HIS FAMILY MEMBER WITHOUT A FOREIGN PARTNER, THAT IS WHY MY MOTHER AND I ARE SEEKING FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE.

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 BECOUSE THER ARE A LOT OF BAD BOYS IN THE CONTREY.THAT IS WHY WE WANT TO INVEST IN ABROAD.

FOR YOUR MUTUAL ASSISTANCE, MYSELF AND MY MOTHER HAVE AGREED TO OFFER YOU 25%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 THROUGH FAX 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. WHICH I WILL WANT YOU TO FORWARD ACROSS TO ME YOUR DIRECT TEL/FAX NUMBER FOR MORE INFORMATIONS ABOUT THIS TRANSACTION.
BEST REGARDS.
RUTH BEN
(FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY.



__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com

Anti-fraud resources: