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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: "george nelson" <georgenelson04@msn.com>
Reply-To: georgenelson1984@yahoo.ca
Date: Thu, 02 Feb 2006 14:32:48 +0000
Subject: From: George Nelson

Dear Respectful one,
 
I know this mail may come to you as a surprise, especially since we do not know each other in person.
 
To briefly introduce myself, my name is George Nelson, the only son of late Mr Vincent Manga Nelson,from Banga district, Liberia.
 
I got your contact from the internet Information Centre in Abidjan, Coted'Ivoire. My sources of your contact gave me the courage and confidence to rely on you.
 
I am writing you in absolute confidence primarily to seek your assistance to receive in your private or company account the sum of Ten Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars USD$10,500,000.00) now in the custody of one of the prime banks here in Abidjan pending our arrival to your country.
 
SOURCE OF THE MONEY : My late father, late Mr Vincent Manga Nelson, a native of Banga district in the Southern Province of Liberia, was the Director General of Liberia Mining Corporation (L.M.C.) Monrovia.
 
According to my father, this money was the income accrued from mining corporation's over draft and minor sales before the peak of the civil war between the rebels forces loyal to Sekou Damate and the combined forces of ECOMOG peace-keeping operation that are destroying my country,following the forceful removal from power of the President Charles Taylor who is now in exile.
 
My father had already made arrangement for us his family to be evacuated to Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire with our personal effects and the box containing our valued items and documents of the deposit.
 
My father deposited the money in the bank until after the war when he will join us. As the war is persisting in my country, and following the indiscriminate looting of public and Government properties by the rebel forces, the Liberia Mining corporation was one of the targets looted and destroyed.
 
My father including other top Government functionaries were attacked and killed by the rebels in March 2003 because of his relationship with the Government of President Charles Taylor.
As a result of my father's death, and with the news of my uncle's involvement in air crash in June, dashed our hope of survival. The untimely deaths caused my mother's heart failure and other related complications of which she later died in the hospital after we must have spent a lot of money on her.
 
Now, my sister Cynthia and myself are alone in this strange country suffering without any care or help without any relation, we are now orphans and refugees.
Our only hope now is in the money our father deposited in the bank.To this effect, I humbly solicit your assistance in the followings ways:
(1) To assist me claim this fund from the BANK as beneficiary.
(2)To receive this money in your name in your country.
(3) To make a good arrangement for a joint business investment on our behalf in your country and you, the care taker.
(4) To secure a college for my sister and my self in your country to further our education.
And to make arrangement for our travel with you to your country after you have transferred this fund, most importantly.
 
The whole documents issued after deposit is in my custody and will be forwarded to you on demand.
 
For your assistance please advise what to do because we don't know next to do to secure the release of the funds from the bank.Email:georgenelson1984@yahoo.ca
 
Best regards,
George Nelson

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