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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.

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

Fraud email example:

From: WILLIAMS SHAKA <WILLIAMSSHAKA@K.RO>
Reply-To: WILLIAMSSHAKA@NETSCAPE.COM
Date: Fri, 12 May 2006 22:59:45 +0100
Subject: Strictly Confidential


Dear Sir/Madam

I am Barrister Williams Shaka , a solicitor at law. In
June 1999 my client who is a foreign contractor with
the South African Government,
MR. ANDREAS SCHRANNER executed a contract with the
Department of Minerals and Energy here in South Africa
before he died.
Since the Government has resolved to pay all foreign
contractors their monies owed by the government since
1998, I was now contacted
being his solicitor to try get hold of his business
partner or his relatives to apply for the funds to be
released to him/her or
have the funds donated to a charity organization.
Being his attorney/solicitor it is to my knowledge
that my client did not declare any next of
kin or relations in his entire official document,
including his bank deposit paperwork in my possession,
and hitherto, all attempts to reach any
of his extended relatives was unsuccessful. It was to
my surprise that my client, his wife and children were
involved in an AF4590 plain crash
in July 2000. See web site:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm.

Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as a
foreigner to stand as the next of kin or business
partner to MR. ANDREAS SCHRANNER;
I will prepare the necessary document and sworn
affidavits that will put you in place as the next of
kin or business partner so that this
fund doesn't go into the hand of some corrupt
government officials who will claim that they have
donated the funds to a charity home without due
specification. The funds involved here is $10.5M (Ten
Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars
only.
Please note that there is no risk at all involved here
if you adhere to my instruction and let this be
between us only, as all
paperwork for this transaction will be done
legitimately knowing fully well that we are not going
to do anything here that will go in
contrary to the Laws of your Country nor mine and with
me as his attorney, I would ensure successful
execution of this transaction provided
you give me your honest cooperation.

Kindly notify me on my private
mail:williamsshaka@netscape.com, and provide immediately
your full name, phone and fax number to indicate your
willingness in assisting me and for further details
upon your acceptance of this proposal.

Best regards.

Barrister. Williams Shaka

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