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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: "Katrina" <katrinajosevaldez@yahoo.com.ph> (may be fake)
Reply-To: ktrn_valdez@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 25 Oct 2006 19:00:31 +0200
Subject: Partnership

Hello friend,
My name is Valdez Katrina, from Philippines, a widow to the late General Jose Valdez, the former Chief of Army staff of the Philippines who died of Ulcer in France on 15th November 2004. I inherited some kgs of Gold and money from my late husband, the sum of 7 million US dollars.
When he was dying he gav
e me access to this Gold and money which is cash in a box. I immediately deposited it in a security company here in Philippine for safe keeping. Since his death, his family have claimed and actually fought over all his properties and the new Task Force have recently been probing military personels and are now investigating his assets but due to my instructions and arrangements with the Security Company here they were able to use their diplomatic channel to send the box out of Philippines to their branch in West Africa. This deposit was coded under a secret arrangement as personal effects. This means that the security company in West Africa does not know that the box which was sent from Philippine for safekeeping is also containing money.
The family of my late husband or the Task Force were never aware of the existence of this Gold and money, which I kept with the security company but they are monitoring my every move. That's why I cant have access to a phone or move out unnecessarily. For our sake, I want you to help me retrieve this consignment from the security company for safekeeping for both our use and to help me leave Philippines.
If you are capable of helping me,get back to me so I can give you the contact of the security company for you to contact them on my behalf and arrange to move the money to your country.
Thanks for your expected understanding as I look forward to hear from you soon through my direct email (ktrn_valdez@yahoo.com) so that i will tell you what to do.
Yours,
Katrina



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