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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: "PUAL J. COLE" <barristerpualjcole@yahoo.co.in>
Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2007 16:46:01 -0800 (PST)
Subject: NEXT OF KIN BENEFICIARY


You will need an HTML enable email to view the ecard.

http://www.ringo.com/photos/photo.html?photoId9119850&origin=photoinvite

Attn My Good Friend
I am Barrister PUAL J. COLE (Esq). I have a client Mr. Mark who bears the same last name with you, and a national of your Country who used to work with Mekon Associates Company in London . On the 2nd of August 2003, my client, his wife and their three children were involved in a car accident along Manchester Express Road Londom . All occupants of the vehicle unfortunately lost their lives.Since then I have made several enquiries to your Embassy to locate any of my client's extended elatives, this proved unsuccessful. After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his relatives over the internet, to locate any member of his family but to no avail, hence! I contacted you. I have contacted you to assist me in repatriating the money left behind by my client before they got confiscated or declared unserviceable by the Finance House where the huge $20M depositeded and we can share the money, 50% to me and 50% to you
Thanks
Barr PUAL J. COLE

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