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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

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

Fraud email example:

From: "fatimaabacha13" <fatimaabacha13@terra.com.mx>
Date: Fri, 4 Aug 2006 16:16:18 -0600
Subject: sallam to your family


My Dearest

I am highly compelled upon strict recommendation, towrite you this very urgent and confidential letter. I do hope my letterwill not embarrass you since I had no previous correspondence with you.Please all replies should be through my private email box
fatima_abacham12@yahoo.com
fatimaabacham12@yahoo.com

I am sending thisproposal with due sense of humanity, responsibility and with fewawareness that you will give it a sympathetic attention. I regret theinconvenience it may cause you on the condition that we have not metbefore.

I am Mrs.FATIMA MUNIRAT ABACHA, the wife of MohammedAbacha, son of the late head of state of Federal Republic of Nigeria -General Sani Abacha.I am contacting you in view of the fact that we willbe of great assistance to each other like wise developing a cordialrelationship.

My husband along with his late father and topofficials of their past administration has been accused of lootingseveral Billion United States Dollars from the Nigeria Government. Thecurrent attitude of the present government towards my family has indeedmade life quite unbearable for us. Fortunately, Mohammed my Husband hasEighteen million and Six hundred thousand and United StatesDollars(US$18.6 million) cash, which he intended to use for investmentpurposes overseas. This money is kept in a private security company.This money was deposited for safe keeping in the security vault of afreighting agency here by my husband preparatory to being air liftedabroad for investment purposes before his arrest leaving a clause thatit could only be claimed by an expatriate partner. It is only my husbandand myself that know where the money is kept.

Due to the currentsituation in the country concerning government’s vendettas towards myfamily, we seek your assistance to transfer this money out of Nigeriafor the purpose of investment as intended by my husband. Note that myfamily is currently being probed by this present government for allegedinvolvement in misappropriation of public funds during myfather-in-law's regime. Towards this effect, an embargo restricting myfamily members from traveling or carrying out financial transactionswithout their express permission is in force.

Right now, my husband(Mohammed) is under arrest and is being detained in connection to theabove and other activities of his late father. However, I have anarrangement on how to freight this money to you after receiving someassurances from you of the safety our own share and that you will onlytake the commission that we will offer you. This money personallybelongs to my husband and he intends that it still be used forinvestment.

The freighting company to be used has now beenintroduced to me and as soon as we receive your readiness to assist usreceives this fund we shall formalize the deposit documents in your nameand reach an agreement with them to air lift the consignment for yourpick up. Bearing in mind that your assistance is needed to transfer thisfund, we propose a commission of 15%(Fifteen Percent) of the total sumto you for the expected services and assistance. While 5% is mapped outfor miscellaneous expenses.

On your positive consent, I shallexpect you to contact me urgently to enable us discuss about this. Yoururgent response is highly needed. I must use this opportunity to imploreyou to exercise utmost indulgence to keep this matter extraordinarilyconfidential, while I await your prompt response.
Best regards,
MRS.FATIMA MUNIRAT ABACHA
FOR THE ABACHAS FAMILY

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