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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: "fred nelson" <freddy6nelson@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: freddy1nelson@yahoo.co.in
Date: Tue, 13 Jun 2006 20:33:26 +0000
Subject: Hello Abercrombie

Hello Abercrombie
 
My name is Mr. Fred Nelson, a Banker with one of the leading banks here in Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire West Africa; I am the personal accounts manager to Mr. Morrison Abercrombie, who used to be a contractor with an oil servicing company based here in Cote d’Ivoire.
My client, his wife, and their three children were involved in the ill fated Kenya Airways crash on the coasts of Abidjan in January 2000 in which all passengers on board died. Since then I have made several inquiries to locate any of my clients extended relatives but have been unsuccessful. I decided to trace his last name over the internet, to see if I could locate any members of his family hence I contacted you.
Of particular interest is this large deposit with our bank here, where the deceased has an account valued at about ($15 million US dollars) They have issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or the bank will declare the account unserviceable
And thereby send the funds to the government treasury.
Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over last 5 years now, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased since you have the same last name, so that the proceeds of this account valued at can be paid to you and then you and I can share the money.
All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us seeing this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under all legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.
If you can handle this with me, reach me by sending the following informations now through this email account:
 
1. Your Name
2. Postal Address
3. Date of Birth
4. Telephone and fax numbers
5. Profession with position
 
Thanking you for your anticipated cooperation.
 
Sincerely yours
 
Fred Nelson


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