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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: "Femi Benson" <femibenson2@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2006 04:14:47 +0000
Subject: Good Day


Good Day

I am sorry for the embarrassment this mail might cause you, as we have not
met before. I am Barrister Femi Benson, a solicitor at law, I am the
personal attorney to Engineer Jim Solata, a foreign contractor who was based
here in Nigeria.

Hereinafter shall be referred to as my client. On the 21st of April 2003, my
client, his wife and their children were involved in a car accident along
lagos-ibadan express Road while arriving from Easter Holiday to warri delta
state. All occupant of the vehicle unfortunately lost their lives, since
then I have made several enquiries to locate any of my clients extended
relatives this has proved unsuccessful. I came across your name and
contact, while I was searching for Jim's relations, but my search was
unsuccessful, so I contacted you for this project. I am contacting you to
assist in repatriating the money and properties left behind by my client
before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the finance house
where these funds were deposited.

Particularly, the Bank were the deceased has an account valued $USD18.4
Million Dollars, last year issued me a 12 months notice to provide the Next
of Kin or have the fund consignment confiscated, and this ultimatum expires
by next month. Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for
over two years now, I seek your consent to present you as the Next of Kin of
the deceased so that the proceed of this deposit valued at $USD18.4 Million
Dollars can be released to you and then you and I can share the money, 50%
for me 45% for you, and the remaining 5% will be for expenses and tax.

Please, find attached, picture of the funds as was taken by my client before
it was deposited at the bank, because he made the money in one of the Oil
deals he had with our Oil Minister. Also is the family picture of Engr. Jim.
This is just to proof to you that my proposal is genuine.

All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this business
through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate
arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.

Get in touch with me through my email address: (femibenson07@yahoo.com) so
that we can proceed.

Sincerely yours,

Barrister Femi Benson.


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