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.

 

 

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

Fraud email example:

From: "savimbi micheal" <savimbimicheal4@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2006 12:44:40 +0000
Subject: STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL

FROM MICHAEL SAVIMBI
NO 68 HARRISON STREET
JOHANNESBURG SOUTH
AFRICA STRICTLY
CONFIDENTIAL

ATTN:Sir/madam.

I know this letter will come to you as a surprise. But consider it a letter
for plea with goodwill for a mutual assistance. I managed to get your
contact info online at the South African information exchange here in
johannesburg South Africa. Hence I did not waste time to contact you on
this business proposal.

First I deem it important to introduce myself. I am Mr. MICHAEL SAVIMBI, the
first son of the second wife of late DR JONAS SAVIMBI the rebel leader of
the ANGOLAN UNITA REBEL FORCE. who was assassinated February 2002. By
Angolan Government army .

If you do watch CNN, you will realize this is on the news.Unfortunately for
me, my mother is the second wife of my late father DR JONAS SAVIMBI and as
such we "re not all treated fairly in the family. Not withstanding my
father’s political ideology, which I prayed him to change before his
apparent death. All my father's assets and properties were seized by the
present government.
...

my father used to exchange diamond for arms from foreign
companies.Eventually I ran into one of these important documents. God has
planned for me, it happened that my father deposited a diplomatic box in
my name with a private security firm in South Africa. I could not believe
this when I picked up the documents referred to here as the 'DEED OF
LODGE' My father secured (TWENTY FIVE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS{US$25
Million}, which was acquired from the sale of diamond. on discovering this
documents, I immediately arrived to South African Republic where am
presently residing as an asylum seeker.

Meanwhile the rest of my family was still busy mourning the death of my
father. Nobody knew my where about or why I fled the country. Right now, I
want you to assist me to transfer this money into your account in your
country, where I will invest it in any lucrative
business as you may advise me. For your assistance I will offer you 20% and
5% will be set aside for expenses we may incurre in the process of the
transfer.while the rest 75% will be for investment for me and my family .
Should this letter receive your honor, please do not hesitate to contact
me on my direct number: 27-82-645-2752 or and most importantly you should
keep everything top secret . Pls include your direct tel numbers for easy
communication.

I wait anxiously to hear from you.

Best Michael savimbi.

_________________________________________________________________
MSN Toolbar now comes with Windows Desktop Search - FREE download!
http://desktop.msn.co.za/

Anti-fraud resources: