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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: "Sonia" <soniasalam@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: sonia_salam1@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2006 19:33:54 +0100
Subject: ASSIST ME PLS

Dear Sir,

My name is,Sonia from Sierra-Leone, the only daughter of Dr.Salam, Former Personal Assistance to the present Minister for Mines and Natural Resources in-charge of diamond production sales in my country Sierra-Leone.

Unfortunately some months ago before the peace pact in my country, my father and his colleagues were killed by rebel group of Mr. Foday Sankoh during an inspection visit to the rich diamond mining area in the village of Izumba, where the rebels laid an ambush and open fire on the convoy killing of my father and some of his colleagues who where on their way to the diamond mining zone.

Following the peace pact that was introduce by the united nation keeping force some months back,my mother deem it fit to say that it is right time for me to leave the country for safety and for europe or anyother stable economic bloc with the 15.million US.Dollars Fifteen Million Dollars deposited by my late father in a security and finance company in Dakar Senegal.. on my name as the next of kin or beneficiary.(all the documents covering the deposit are here with me now and will be faxed to you upon request).

I contacted you based on trust and your vast knowledge in the business field when i got your contact from a profile that speaks very good of you in the internet.I want you to assist me so that i can transfer this money to your account for safe keeping pending our arrival to your country, to start up an investment in your country through your wise advice. You will act as my international business representative and also my family business associate,so that i can transfer this money to your account for safe keeping.

I am now in Dakar-Senegal for the facilitation of this
transaction.Please kindly communicate your acceptance or otherwise of this proposal through email address for us to discuss the modalities of seeing this
transaction through.

However, if you are not disposed to assist kindly destroy the letter in
view of the families interest and personal security. I count on you
greatly for your assistance.Please,if where i contacted you is not okay
with you,do not hesitate to tell me and provide another address where i
will be contacting you.A good percentage awaits you for your
assistance.
Expecting to hear from you soon.

Your Faithfully,
Sonia Salam.





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