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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: Maria Katrina <mariakatrina76@msn.com>
Reply-To: <mariakatrina@mailbox.hu>
Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2007 23:40:38 +0000
Subject: From Maria



FROM MARIA RUE 6 BP 01 COCODY ABIDJAN COTE D IVOIRE.

DEAREST ONE,

I KNOW MY MESSAGE WILL COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE SINCE I DO NOT KNOW YOU IN PERSON OR MET WITH YOU BEFORE BUT I AM OF THE BELIEF THAT YOU WOULD BE OBLIGED TO COME TO MY ASSISTANCE AFTER HEARING ABOUT MY SITUATION.

I AM MARIA KATRINA DIALLO, 16 YEAR OLD GIRL, I WAS FORMERLY A MEDICAL STUDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ABIDJAN,IVORY COAST WEST AFRICA. LAST OCTOBER,THE REBELS IN MY COUNTRY STRUCK OUR TOWNSHIP AND KILLED MY PARENTS BECAUSE MY FATHER WAS AN OPPOSITION LEADER TO THE PRESIDENT OF MY COUNTRY IVORY COAST. BEFORE HIS DEATH HE HAD $9.5M USD (Nine Million,Five Hundred Thousand dollars.)IN A DOMICILIARY ACCOUNT WITH A BANK IN COTE D IVOIRE WHICH I AM THE NEXT OF KIN.PLEASE I NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS.

1)TO SERVE AS THE TRUSTEE OF THIS FUND SINCE I AM ONLY 16. 2)TO PROVIDE A BANK ACCOUNT WHERE THIS MONEY WOULD BE TRANSFERRED TO. 3)TO MAKE ARRANGEMENT FOR ME TO COME OVER TO YOUR COUNTRY AFTER THIS MONEY
IS TRANSFERRED, TO COMPLETE MY STUDIES. 4)TO LOOK FOR A GOOD VENTURE WHERE THIS MONEY WILL BE INVESTED,I AM WILLING TO OFFER YOU 20% OF THE TOTAL SUM AS COMPENSATION OF YOUR EFFORT AND 5% FOR ANY OTHER EXPENSE YOU MAY INCUR IN THE COURSE OF THE TRANSFER.
THANKS AND GOD BLESS YOU

BEST REGARDS,

MARIA

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources: