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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: rosej darigo <mrs_rosej14@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: <mrs_rosej111@voila.fr>
Date: Wed, 13 Jun 2007 08:55:13 +0000
Subject: FROM MRS ROSEJ DARIGO REPLY NEEDDED



MY DEAR ,
I AM THE MANAGER OF BILL AND EXCHANGE AT THE FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENTOF THE AFRICAN BANK. I SAW YOUR CONTACTS IN INTERNET SEARCH,AFTER MUCHCONSIDERATION I DECIDED TO WRITE YOU SINCE I CANNOT BE ABLE TO SEE YOU FACETO FACE AT FIRST. I WILL LIKE YOU TO TAKE YOUR TIME TO READ THIS MAILCAREFULLY. I DID NOT MEAN TO EMBARRASSE YOU WITH MY BUSINESS PROPOSAL BUT ISERIOUSLY NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE. PLEASE THIS IS A CONFIDENTIAL MATTER AND ITREQUIRES URGENCY.
IN MY DEPARTMENT WE DISCOVERED AN ABANDONED SUM OF U.S$12.5M DOLLARS (TWELVEMILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND USD) IN AN ACCOUNT THAT BELONGS TO ONE OF OURFOREIGN CUSTOMER WHO DIED ALONG WITH HIS ENTIRE FAMILY ON MONDAY,31JULY,2000, IN A PLANE CRASH , SINCE WE GOT INFORMATION ABOUT HIS DEATH, WEHAVE BEEN EXPECTING HIS OR HER NEXT OF KIN TO COME OVER AND CLAIM HIS MONEYBECAUSE WE CAN NOT RELEASE IT UNLESS SOME BODY APPLIES FOR IT AS NEXT OF KINOR RELATION TO THE DECEASED AS INDICATED IN OUR BANKING GUIDLINES AND LAWS,BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE LEARNT THAT HIS SUPPOSED NEXT OF KIN DIED ALONGSIDEWITH HIM AT THE PLANE CRASH LEAVING NOBODY BEHIND FOR THE CLAIM. IT ISTHEREFORE UPON THIS DISCOVERY, I NOW DECIDED TO MAKE THIS BUSINESS PROPOSALTO YOU AND RELEASE THE MONEY TO YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN OR RELATION TO THEDECEASED FOR SAFETY AND SUBSEQUENT DISBURSEMENT SINCE NOBODY IS COMING FORIT AND I DON'T WANT THIS MONEY TO GO INTO THE BANK TREASURY AS UNCLAIMEDBILL.
THE BANKING LAW AND GUIDINE HERE STIPULATES THAT IF SUCH MONEY REMAINEDUNCLAIMED AFTER SEVEN YEARS, THE MONEY WILL BE TRANFERED INTO THE BANK ASUNCLAIMED BILL
I THEREFORE AGREE THAT 40% OF THIS MONEY WILL BE FOR YOU AS FOREIGNERPARTNER, IN RESPECT TO THE PROVISION OF A FOREIGN ACCOUNT, 10% WILL BE SETASIDE FOR EXPENSES INCURED DURING THE BUSINESS AND 50% WOULD BE FOR ME.THEREAFTER I WILL VISIT YOUR COUNTRY FOR DISBURSEMENT ACCORDING TO THEPERCENTAGES INDICATED.
THEREFORE, TO ENABLE THE IMMEDIATE TRANSFER OF THIS FUND TO YOU AS ARRANGED,YOU MUST APPLY FIRST TO THE BANK AS RELATION OR NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASEDINDICATING YOUR BANK NAME, YOUR BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER, YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONEAND FAX NUMBER FOR EASY AND EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION AND LOCATION WHERE INTHE MONEY WILL BE REMITTED.
I WILL NOT FAIL TO BRING TO YOUR NOTICE THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS HITCH-FREEAND THAT YOU SHOULD NOT ENTERTAIN ANY ATOM OF FEAR AS ALL REQUIREDARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE FOR THE TRANSFER. YOU SHOULD CONTACT MEIMMEDIATELY AS SOON AS YOU RECIEVE THIS LETTER. TRUSTING TO HEAR FROM YOUIMMEDIATELY.
YOURS FAITHFULLYMRS ROSEJ DARIGO THIS IS MY PRIVATE TELEPHONE CONTACT NUMBER +22676096493
_________________________________________________________________
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