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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: <regsbk11@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2007 04:16:11 +1200
Subject: BUSINESS ASSITANCE

Mr Johnson Terry
London.

ATTN: SIR/MADAM,

PERMIT ME TO INFORM YOU OF MY DESIRE OF GOING INTO BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP
WITH YOU.I AM JOHNSON TERRY,A 24YEARS
OLD BOY, THE ONLY SON OF LATE CHIEF AND MRS CHRISTOPHER TERRY. MY FATHER
WAS A VERY WEALTHY DIAMOND MERCHANT BASED IN SIERRA LEONE, THE ECONOMIC
CAPITAL OF FREE TOWN BEFORE HE WAS SECRECTLY POISON BECAUSE OF DIAMOND
COMFLICT WITH THE GOVERMENT.
BEFORE THE DEATH OF MY FATHER ON 24TH APRIL 1997, IN A PRIVATE HOSPITAL IN
SOUTH AFRICA, HE SECRETLY CALLED ME ON HIS BED SIDE AND TOLD ME THAT HE HAS
A SUM OF US$9M (NINE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS) LEFT IN A BANK IN
EUROPE.
THAT HE USED MY NAME AS HIS ONLY SON FOR THE NEXT OF KIN IN DEPOSIT OF THE
FUND. HE ALSO EXPLAINED TO ME THAT IT WAS BECAUSE OF THIS WEALTH THAT HE WAS
POISONS BY SECRECT INTELIGENT SERVICE, THAT I SHOULD SEEK FOR A FOREIGN
PARTNER IN A COUNTRY OF MY CHOICE WHERE I WILL TRANSFER THIS MONEY AND USE
IT FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSE.
FOR THIS SIMPLE REASON, I ARRANGED WITH A TRAVEL AGENT, WHO HELPED ME TO
TRAVEL TO ENGLAND WHERE I SEEK ASYLON.
I AM HONOURABLY SEEKING YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS.
1) TO HELP ME RETRIEVE THIS FUND AND HELP PROVIDE A BANK ACCOUNT WHERE THIS
MONEY WOULD BE TRANSFERED INTO.
2) TO SERVE AS THE GUARDIAN OF THIS FUND AND ME
3) TO MAKE ARRANGEMENT FOR ME TO COME OVER TO YOUR
COUNTRY TO FURTHER MY EDUCATION AND TO SECURE A RESIDENTIAL PERMIT FOR ME
IN YOUR COUNTRY.
MOREOVER, DEAR, I AM WILLING TO OFFER YOU 15% OF THE TOTAL SUM AS
COMPENSATION FOR YOUR EFFORT/INPUT AFTER
THE SUCCESSFUL TRANSFER OF THIS FUND TO YOUR NOMINATED ACCOUNT OVERSEA.
FURTHERMORE, YOU CAN INDICATE YOUR OPTION TOWARDS ASSISTING ME AS I BELIEVE
THAT THIS TRANSACTION WOULD BE CONCLUDED WITHIN A SHORT TIME
YOU SIGNIFY INTEREST TO ASSIST ME.
HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON.

THANKS AND GOD BLESS.
EMAIL ME DIRECTLY ON mm22terry@gmail.com or mm22terry@aim.com
BEST REGARD


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