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: "barr_bagato" <barr_bagato@terra.com.mx>
Date: Sat, 8 Jul 2006 11:01:06 -0600
Subject: NEXT OF KIN NEEDED



I AM BARRISTER Bagato
A SOLICITOR AT LAW
CONTACT ME WITH THIS EMAIL
ADDRESS (barrbagato@myway.com)
Dear Friend,
I am sorry for the embarrassment this mail might cause you, as we have
not met before. I am Barrister Bagato, a solicitor at law, I am
the personal attorney to Engineer Edward. A, qa national of your
Country, who used to work with Mobil oil Nigeria plc. Hereinafter shall
be referred to as my client.
On the 21st of April 2002, my client, his wife and their children were
involved in a car accident along Kano - Sokoto express Road while
arriving from Easter Holiday to Warri Delta State.
All occupant of the vehicle unfortunately lost their lives, since then
I have made several enquiries to locate any of my clients extended
relatives this has been unsuccessful. I came across your name and
contact, while I was searching for Edward's relations, since my search
did not yield the desired result, I had to contact you for this
project.
I am contacting you to assist in repatriating the money and properties
left behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared
unserviceable by the finance house where these funds were deposited.
Particularly, the finance house where the deceased has an account
valued $USD18 Million Dollars, last year issued me a 12 months notice to
provide the Next of Kin or have the fund consignment confiscated,and this
altimatum expires by next month.
Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over two
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 proceed of this
deposit valued at $USD18 Million Dollars can be released to you and
then you and I can share the money, 50% for me 45% for you, and the
remaining 5% will be for expenses and tax. Please, find , picture of the
funds as was taken by my client before it was deposited at the bank,
because he made the money in one of the Oil deals he had with our
Oil Minister.
Also is the family picture of Engr. Edward. This is just to proof to
you that my proposal is genuine. I also have all necessary legal
documents that can be used to back up any claim we may make. All I require is
your honest co-operation to enable us see this business through. I
guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that
will protect you from any breach of the law. Get in touch with me through
my emailaddress(barrbagato@myway.com) so that we can proceed.
Sincerely yours,
Barrister
Bagato

Anti-fraud resources: