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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: "agala05" <agala05@terra.com.mx>
Date: Sat, 10 Jun 2006 12:40:53 -0600
Subject: urgent


FROM:Mr.peter obasi,
AUDITOR GENERAL
STB PLC
6th floor, 1 First Place
20 BROARD Street
lagos nig west Africa

Attn:,
RE:TRANSFER OF USD20,000,000.00 MILLION TO YOUR
ACCOUNT.
I feel quite safe dealing with you in this important
business.Though, this medium (Internet) has been
greatly abused, I choose to reach you through it
because it still remains the fastest medium of
communication. However, this correspondence is
private, and it should be treated in strict
confidence.
At first I will like to assure you that this
transaction is 100% risk and trouble free to both
parties.
In order to transfer out USD20,000,000.00{ twenity
million U.S dollar Only } from our bank here in
nigeria. The fund for transfer is of clean
origin. The owner of the fund is a foreigner, a
program leader who was believed to acquire the fund
through his secret Crude Oil deal with the Former
IRAQI government.The deceased died with all the
members of his family in an auto-accident in June 23,
1999 without a WILL. The amount involved is
USD20,000,000.00
I want to transfer this money into your account as the
foreign beneficiary of the fund. I know that this
letter will come to you as a surprise as we don't know
ourselves before, BUT BE SURE THAT IT IS REAL AND A
GENUINE BUSINESS. I CONTACT YOU BELIEVING THAT YOU
WILL NOT LET ME DOWN ONCE THE FUND GOES INTO YOUR
ACCOUNT.
Let me hear from you as soon as posbile.
Regards,
peter obasi

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