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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: "mr_soweto" <mr_soweto@terra.com.mx>
Date: Sat, 12 Aug 2006 12:38:09 -0600
Subject: MR.SOWETO ISTOMO GATOT


FROM MR.SOWETO ISTOMO GATOT
AUDITING AND ACCOUNTING UNIT.
BANK OF AFRICA(BOA)
OUAGADOUGOU BURKINA-FASO.
TEL 00226 -70-39-86-89
(URGENT RESPONSE NEEDED) REPLY to. ( mr_soweto@myway.com )

I AM MR.SOWETO ISTOMO GATOT.I WORK IN THE AUDIT/ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT BANK OF AFRICAN BANK (BOA) OUAGADOUGOU BURKINA FASO.

I HAVE A BUSINESS WHICH WILL BE BENEFICIAL TO BOTH OF US. THE AMOUNT OF MONEY INVOLVED IS U.S $15.5M (Fifteen million Five hundred United States dollars) WHICH I WANT TO TRANSFERED OUT OF THE COUNTRY TO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT, ALL TO MY FINANCIAL BENEFIT AND YOURS TOO.

MY DEPARTMENT CAME A CROSS THIS HUGE MONEY BELONEGING TO A DECEASED PERSON WHO DIED ON PLANE CRASH ON 31st OCTOBER 1999 AND SINCE THEN NO CLAIM HAS BEEN PLACED ON HIS BANK ACCOUNT BALANCE.

I WANT TO TRANSFER THIS MONEY OUT OF THE COUNTRY BUT SUCH FUND CAN NOT BE TRANSFERRED WITHOUT A NEXT OF KIN ATTACHED TO THE FUND.

THE BANKING LAW STPIPULATES THAT IF SUCH MONEY REMAINS UNCLAIMED FOR SEVEN YEARS IT WILL TRANSFERED INTO
BANK TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED FUND.

THE FUND COULD BE TRANSFERED IN THESE WAY AND YOU SHALL PRESENT YOURSELF AS A NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASED PERSON AS DETAILS SHALL BE THAT YOU ARE THE CARE-TAKER BUSINESS ASSOCIATES AND THE NAMED NEXT OF KIN.

I SHALL MAKE AVAILABLE TO YOU MATERIALS AND INFORMATION WITH WHICH A SUCCESSFUL CLAIM SHALL BE PLACED ON THE FUND.

YOU HAVE BEEN ADIVCED TO KEEP "TOP SCRET", I SHALL BE YOUR GUIDIANCE AND INSTRUCTOR THROUGHOUT THE DURATION OF THIS TRANSACTION SO AS TO ENSURE A SMOOTH AND SURE TRANSFER OF THE FUND TO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT.

AS TO YOUR BENEFITS, YOU SHALL BE ENTITLED TO 30% OF THIS FUND FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION IN THIS TRANSACTION WHILE 5% WIL BE SET ASIDE FOR EXPENCES BOTH OF US INCURED DURING THE COURSE OF THIS TRANSACTION.

SO IF YOU ARE INTRESTED, SEND A REPLY TO ME IMMEDIATELY TO THIS EMAIL ( mr_soweto@myway.com ) URGENCY HAS TO BE IMPLIED AND THIS BUSINESS MUST STRICTLY BE A DEAL BETWEEN BOTH OF US.
REPLY AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS EMAIL

I LOOK FOWARD TO RECEIVE YOUR CALL TEL 00226 70-39-86-89
BEST REGARDS,
MR.SOWETO ISTOMO GATOT

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