joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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: andreas ruth <andreas@aruth.orangehome.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 24 Nov 2006 13:38:58 +0100 (CET)
Subject: CONFIDENTIAL AND URGENT


GOOD DAY,
LET ME FIRST INTRODUCE MYSELF TO YOU.I AM MR. ANDREAS RUTH , AN INTERNATIONAL FOREIGN FINANCIAL PERSONAL ASSISTANT TO THE LATE NIGERIAN FIRST LADY. CHIEF MRS STELLA OBASANJO MAY HER SOUL REST IN PEACE.
I KNOW MY INTENTION IN THIS LETTER MIGHT SOUND UNCHRISTIAN BUT I DON’T HAVE OPTION. ON THAT HER LAST TRIP BEFORE HER DEATH IN SPAIN AFTER MEETING WITH ME, I AND SHE IS SUPPOSE TO DEPOSIT SOME MONEY FOR HER WITH OUR SECURITY COMPANY/FINANCE FIRM WHERE I WORK HERE IN MADRID SPAIN, WHERE SHE USED TO KEEP HER VALUABLES BUT BECAUSE OF HER SUDDEN DEATH AT THE MALAGA HOSPITAL I HAVE TO DEPOSIT THE FUND/MONEY SHE CAME WITH INTERIMLY WITH ANOTHER SECURITY COMPANY HERE IN SPAIN AS I KNOW FOR SURE THAT NO BODY IN THIS EARTH KNOWS ABOUT THIS DEPOSIT EXCEPT ME AND HER AS SHE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS SECRETLY WITH OUR FIRM AND THAT IS WHY SHE USE TO COME TO SPAIN ALWAYS.
I ALSO AGREED WITH HAMVAN SECURITIES S.L THAT A FRIEND WILL PICK UP THE MONEY FOR ME, MEANWHILE THEY ARE NOT AWARE THAT IT WAS MONEY IN THE BOX BECAUSE I DEPOSITED IT AS VALUABLES, THEY DON’T ALSO KNOW MY STATUE AS A FOREIGN FINANCIAL PERSONAL ASSISTANT TO THE WOMAN.
PLEASE IF YOU ARE WILLING TO ASSIST ME GET THE MONEY INTO YOUR ACCOUNT DO GIVE ME A REPLY BECAUSE THE AMOUNT IS $12, 000,000.00 MILLION UNITED STATE DOLLARS, AFTER HELPING ME I WILL BE WILLING TO GIVE YOU 30% OF THE WHOLE SUM. AND 5% WILL BE SET ASIDE FOR ANY EXPENSES THAT MAY OCCOUR IN THE BANKING TRANSFER, AND THE REST WILL BE FOR ME.
THIS TRANSACTION REQUIRES ABSOLUTE HONESTY AND TOP CONFIDENTIALITY.
NOTE THIS: Please acknowledge receipt of this message in acceptance of our mutual business endeavour by furnishing me with the following;
Full name and address
Direct Telephone and fax numbers
Occupation and position
Nationality
Date of birth
marital status
Gender/sex
Should you have any further question or clarification please feel free to contact me directly through my private e-mail address ndrsruth@yahoo.com or call me directly through my private telephone number 011 34 637 219 778. I wait for your urgent responds towards this nitification,
Best regards
Mr Andreas Ruth

Anti-fraud resources: