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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.

 

 

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

Fraud email example:

From: "Felisha Cole" <felicole01@msn.com>
Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2006 05:27:10 +0000
Subject: MUTUAL BENEFITS

DEAR FRIEND,
THROUGH THE COURTESY OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY, I TAKE
LIBERTY ANCHORED ON A STRONG DESIRE TO SOLICIT YOUR
ASSISTANCE ON THIS
MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL AND RISKFREE TRANSACTION WHICH I
HOPE YOU
WILL GIVE YOUR URGENT ATTENTION.
I AM MRS.FELISHA COLE AND I AM MOVED TO WRITE YOU THIS
LETTER ,THIS WAS IN CONFIDENCE CONSIDERING OUR PRESENT
CIRCUMSTANCE AND
SITUATION.I ESCAPED WITH MY CHILDREN OUT OF
SIERRA-
LEONE TO ACCRA IN GHANA THROUGH THE AID OF THE UNITED
NATIONS
EVACUATION TEAM WHERE WE ARE NOW PRESENTLY RESIDING
ON TEMPORARY POLITICAL ASYLUM.
HOWEVER DUE TO THIS SITUATION I DECIDED TO CHANGE MOST
OF MY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS DEPOSITED IN SWISS BANK AND
OTHER COUNTRIES BY MY LATE HUSBAND
INTO OTHER FORMS OF MONEY CODED FOR SAFE PURPOSE
BECAUSE THE NEW HEAD
OF STATES AHMED TEJAN KABBA WHO MADE ARRANGEMENTS
WITH THE SWISS
GOVERNMENT AND OTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES TO FREEZE ALL
MY TREASURES
DEPOSITED IN SOME EUROPEAN COUNTRIES,HENCE I AND MY CHILDREN,
DECIDED LAYING LOW IN A TEMPOERY POLITICAL ASYLUM CAMP
HERE IN ACCRA, GHANA TO STUDY THE SITUATION TILL WHEN THINGS GETS
BETTER.
SINCE PRESIDENT TEJAN KABBA TAKING OVER GOVERNMENT
AGAIN IN SIERRA-LEONE ONE OF MY LATE HUSBAND CHATEAUX IN
SOUTHERN FRANCE WAS CONFISCATED BY THE FRENCH
GOVERNMENT,AND AS SUCH WE
HAD TO CHANGE OUR IDENTITY SO THAT OUR INVESTMENT WILL
NOT BE TRACED AND CONFISCATED.
I HAVE DEPOSITED THE SUM OF TWELVE MILLION,FIVE
HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED
STATES DOLLARS(US$12,500,000)WITH A SECURITY COMPANY
FOR SAFEKEEPING.
THE FUNDS ARE SECURITY CODED TO PREVENT THEM FROM
KNOWING THE ACTUAL
CONTENTS.
WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO NOW IS TO INDICATE YOUR INTEREST
THAT YOU WILL
ASSIST ME AND MY IMMEDIATE FAMILY BY RECEIVING THE
MONEY ON OUR BEHALF. I SHALL PROVIDE YOU ALL DOCUMENTS OF
THIS DEPOSIT WITH THE SECURITY FIRM, AND RAISE A POWER OF
ATTORNEY TO ENABLE YOU CLAIM AND RECEIVE THIS PACKAGE FROM
THE COMPANY.
THE ACCOUNT REQUIRED FOR THIS PROJECT CAN EITHER BE
PERSONAL,COMPANY OR
AN OFFSHORE ACCOUNT THAT YOU HAVE TOTAL CONTROL
OVER,YOUR AREA OF
SPECIALISATION WILL NOT BE A HINDERANCE TO THE
SUCCESSFUL EXECUTION OF THIS
TRANSACTION.
ACKOWLEDGE THIS MESSAGE,SO THAT I CAN INTRODUCE YOU TO
MY FAMILY AS OUR FOREIGN TRUSTED PARTNER WHO SHALL
TAKE CHARGE OF OUR
INVESTMENT ABROAD WHERE WE NOW PLAN TO SETTLE.
I WANT YOU TO ASSIST US IN INVESTING THIS MONEY,BUT I
WILL NOT WANT OUR
IDENTITY REVEALED.I WILL ALSO WANT TO BUY PROPERTIES
AND STOCKS IN
MULTI-NATIONAL COMPANIES AND TO ENGAGE IN OTHER SAFE
AND NON SPECULATIVE
INVESTMENTS.
WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH A LOT OF HEALTH AND SPIRITUAL
TURMOIL,HENCE WILL
NEED YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND ASSISTANCE. MAY I AT THIS
POINT EMPHASIZE THE HIGH LEVEL OF
CONFIDENTIALITY WHICH THIS BUSINESS DEMANDS AND HOPE
YOU WILL NOT BETRAY THE TRUST AND
CONFIDENCE WHICH WE REPOSE IN YOU.I SHALL PUT YOU IN
THE PICTURE OF THIS BUSINESS,I.E TELL YOU WHERE THE
FUNDS ARE CURRENTLY
BEING MAINTAINED AND ALSO DISCUSS OTHER MODALITIES
INCLUDING REMUNERATION
FOR YOUR SERVICES.
I SHALL INFORM YOU WITH THE NEXT LINE OF ACTION AS
SOON AS I RECEIVE
YOUR POSITIVE RESPONSE.IS THIS PROPOSITION
ATTAINABLE?IF IT IS,PLEASE KINDLY
PROVIDE ME IMMEDIATELY ON MY PERSONAL E-MAIL {felishacole@netscape.net}
WITH YOUR
FULL NAMES,
DIRECT TELEPHONE/ FAX NUMBERS
TO ENHANCE THE CONFIDENTIALLITY WHICH THIS
BUSINESS DEMANDS.
BEST REGARDS
MRS FELISHA COLE.


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