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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: "greg themba" <greg_themba417@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 07 Nov 2006 17:36:10 +0200
Subject: Family seeking for urgent assistance.

FROM: MR. GREG THEMBA.
20 BOTHA CRESCENT,
RIVONIA, JOHANNESBURG,
SOUTH AFRICA.
+27 737 082 332.
EMAIL:
greg_themba101@yahoo.com
 
Attn: Owner / Ceo  

This might be a surprise to you about where I got your contact address. I got your address from the internet.
 
 My name is Mr. Greg Themba,the elder son of late Mr. James Themba, of Masingo Province of Zimbabwe. During the current war against the farmers in Zimbabwe from the supports of our President Robert Mugabe, to claim all the white-owned farms to his party members and his followers, he ordered all white farmers to surrender all their farms and Lands to his party members and his followers.
  My father is one of the richest farmers in our country and because he did not support President Mugabe's ideas. President Mugabe's, supporters invaded my father's farms and lands and burnt everything in the farms, killing my father and made away with a lot of items in my father's farm. For more details visit
www.rte.ie/news/2000/0418/zimbabwe.html.
  
  Before my father,s death he made it known to me that he deposited with one of the Security Company in Johannesburg, South Africa the sum of US$30.5 Million (Thirty Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) with the Security and Finance Company here in South Africa. Then after the death of my father, we decided to move to the Republic of South Africa where he had deposited the money in the Security Company as valuables items.
  
  After reading about you on the internet I believe that some body like you will be capable of handling this kind of transaction so I decided to contact you to assist me to transfer this fund out of South Africa because as I and my families were (Refugee) Asylum seekers we are not allowed to operate any bank transaction within South Africa. 
We have agreed to offer you 20% of the total sum after a successful transfer of the fund to your bank account in your country for your assistance, 5% will be mapped out for any expenses that we may incurred in the course of this transaction and 75% will be for me and my family investment in your country.
All I want you to do is to furnish me with your personal phone and fax numbers for easy communication.
You can contact me on the above telephone number or through email.
I assure you that this transaction is 100% risk free and absolutely confidential.
  
Thanks and God bless.
  
Best Regards.
  
Mr. Greg Themba.
{for the family}


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