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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: mparkermp1@netscape.net
Date: Tue, 01 Aug 2006 06:22:23 -0400
Subject: What can we do now?

I recieved a message from the Bank yesterday and I have just wrote a message to the Bank now in return as they requested from me the other of completing the process of my funds which i have with the bank in UK and I was not cleared of what the situation is like.

I knew that I previously told you about the conditions and request of the Bank for me to activate my account which I was unable to do and now they want me to let my beneficiary know that you would have to open an account with them because my account is not working now but my funds are still in it except if you could open an account with them.

And now they came up with a different alternative to help and told me to ask you to come over to the UK or make the neccessary payment for the process of the Funds for them to assist me activate the account and transfer the Funds from my account to you online but they warned that they would not send a draft because they are security company their charges has to be handle with them before they would complete the transfer for you.

Let me know of what you think of them so that I can also have my words push to them.

Let me know know of your communication with the Bank soonest.

Regards

Mary Parker

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