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: Dennis Makwe <makwe@katamail.com>
Date: Mon, 17 Apr 2006 20:09:37 +0000
Subject: Re: BUSINESS OFFER


10 Kalama Crescents
Arusha
Tanzania


18-04-06


Dear Friend,

With warm heart I offer my friendship and greetings, and I hope this email meets you in good time. However, surprising this contact might seems to you as we have not met personally before, I humbly ask that you take due consideration of its importance and immense benefit.

First and foremost I wish to introduce myself, my name are Dennis Makwe Chief Security Officer with a leading Mining Corporation in Tanzania. I am seeking your confidentiality as my overseas partner to receive a consignment containing Diamond worth U$750.000 and physical cash totally U$10.5million (Ten Million Five Hundred Thousand U$ Dollars). I will disclose further information on how i came about this funds and diamonds once i receive your response.

I have also made a secured arrangement with a colleague's friend working with an International Courier company in Dares Salaam Tanzania who will arrange packaging of the consignment with a diplomatic cover in order to protect the content of the consignment from any custom entry.

I am proposing 30% for you, 50% for myself, while 10% for my colleague and 10% will be for expenses. This deal itself is 100% safe, as I will be using a known courier company. On your part the courier company will deliver the boxes to your destination, and you will ensure the safety of the consignment before my arrival.

Please treat this transaction with utmost confidentiality.

Best regards,

Dennis Makwe

Anti-fraud resources: