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: frank johnson <frankjohnson452@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: farnkjohnson1991@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 3 Apr 2007 03:05:34 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: FROM DR FRANK JOHNSON CAN I TRUST YOU?


NAME FRANK.JOHNSON
GLOBAL FINANCIAL AND SECURITY
COMPANY LIMITED SAINT LOUIS
SENEGAL WEST AFRICA.

THIS LETTER MAY COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE BUT IT IS OUT OF MY DESIRE TO
SHARE THIS MUTUAL PROPOSAL WITH YOU,I APOLOGIZE USING THIS MEDIUM TO
REACH YOU FOR A BUSINESS/TRANSACTION OF THIS MAGNITUDE, BUT THIS IS DUE
TO CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROMPT ACCESS REPOSED ON THIS MEDIUM.

IT IS WITH TRUST THAT I WISH TO CONTACT YOU ON THIS MATTER MY NAME IS
MR.FRANK JOHNSON THE AUDITOR GENERAL OF GLOBAL FINANCIAL AND SECURITY
COMPANY LIMITED SAINT LOUIS SENEGAL WEST AFRICA.

THERE IS A CONSIGNMENT CONTAINING THE SUM OF (17,6,000.00USD)SEVENTEEN MILLION SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS

THE SAID BOX WAS DEPOSITED BY AN INDIAN CUSTOMER WHO DIED ON THE 4TH
OF MARCH 2004 ON A PLAIN-CRASH IN BIRMINGHAM IN UNITED KINGDOM.
GOING BY THE USUAL STATUTORY RULES GOVERNING OUR OPERATION,THE BOX
SHALL BE HANDED OVER TO THE RELEVANT GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES AS AN
UNCLAIMED DEPOSIT WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS DETAILS SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO
YOU AS SOON AS I HEAR FROM YOU.

I SHALL FURNISH YOU UP WITH ALL THE NECESSARY INFORMATION NEEDED, I
WISH TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON.
SINCERELY

MR FRANK .JOHNSON
I WAIT FOR YOUR REPLY


---------------------------------
We won't tell. Get more on shows you hate to love
(and love to hate): Yahoo! TV's Guilty Pleasures list.

Anti-fraud resources: