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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: "SANI S.JALAN" <sanijalan@yahoo.co.uk> (may be fake)
Reply-To: sanijalan@luxmail.com
Date: Wed, 17 Jan 2007 12:18:14 +0100
Subject: INVESTMENT PROPOSAL.(URGENT)

Attention: PLEASE.
My names are SANI S.JALAN, the son of late HAJI EL JALAN a businessman here in Ouagadougou, (Burkina Faso) West Africa. Who died in a plane crash in Cotonou Benin republic on the 26Th of Dec.2003
SEE WEBSITE BELOW FOR DETAILED INFORMATION ON THE PLANE CRASH.
HTTP://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/12/26/benin.crash/index.html
Before my late father died, he deposited 5.5million (Five Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars with a security and finance company overseas. We discovered this deposit through the deposit documents recovered in my father's secret brief case. We have also contacted the company who confirmed the existence of the deposit with them. The company now requests us to come forward to claim the consignment or have it confiscated. The company doest not know that the consignment content is cash as it is manifested as PERSONAL EFFECTS.
It is for this reason that I am making this contact to have you claim this amount and help us invest it into any profitable business in your country. My request for foreigner partner is occasioned by the fact that I can not travel out of my country because of my illness. I am also aware that your country is stable for any investment.
My mother and I agreed that 25% of the total amount be given to you as your commission, and 10% will be set aside for expenses incurred during the business and 60% would be for us.
If you agree with the shearing arrangement as stated above, kindly forward your full name and address, your phone and fax number for easier communication.
Upon receipt of your reply, I will attach by email all the relevant deposit documents.
This transaction is hitch-free, all arrangements have been put in place for a successful completion.
Best Regards,
Sani Jalan


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