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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: nd_micheallpaul@yahoo.fr (may be fake)
Reply-To: nd_michealpaul@yahoo.fr
Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2007 16:56:28 +0200
Subject: GOODDAY.

MR MICHEAL PAUL
[AUDITING AND ACCOUNTING]
SECTION MANAGER BANK OF AFRICA
DAKAR SENEGAL..
DEAR FRIEND I KNOW THAT THIS LETTER MAY COME TO YOU AS
A SURPRISE. I GOT YOUR ADDRESS THROUGH LOCAL BUSINESS ON WEB.I MUST
APPOLOGISE FOR TAKING SOME OF YOUR AVAILUABLE TIME TO EXPLAIN A PROPOSAL
THAT I BELIEVE WILL BE OF UTMOST BENEFIT TO US. I AM AUDITING AND
ACCOUNTING MANAGER BANK OF AFRICA. IN MY DEPARTMENT WE DISCOVERED AN
ABANDONED SUM OF $25,000,000.00 USD(TWENTY FIVE MILLION US DOLLARS ) IN
ACCOUNT THAT BELONGS TO ONE OF OUR FOREIGN CUSTOMER WHO DIED ALONG WITH HIS
ENTIRE FAMILY IN AN PLANE CRASH ON THE MORNING OF OCTOBER 31ST 1999.
VIEW THE SITE;
<<<http://www.zenpageweavers.com/malikahti/journal/flight.htm>>> or on BBC
WORD NEWS link: SINCE THE BANK GOT INFORMATION ABOUT HIS DEATH WE HAVE
BEEN EXPECTING HIS NEXT OF KIN TO COME OVER AND CLAIM HIS MONEY BECAUSE
WE CANNOT RELEASE THE FUND UNLESS SOMEBODY APPLIES FOR IT AS NEXT !
OF KIN OR RELATION TO THE DECEASED AS INDICATED IN OUR BANKING
GUIDELINES AND LAWS BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE LEARNT THAT ALL HIS SUPPOSED NEXT OF
KIN DIED ALONG SIDE WITH HIM AT THE PLANE CRASH LEAVING NOBODY BEHIND
FOR THE CLAIM AND OUR BANKING LAW AND GUIDELINE HERE STIPULATES THAT IF
SUCH MONEY REMAINS UNCLAIMED AFTER SEVEN YEARS,SUCH MONEY WILL BE MOVED
INTO THE BANKING TREASURER AS UNCLAIMED FUND. THE REQUEST OF A
FOREIGNER AS NEXT OF KIN IN THIS BUSINESS IS OCCASSIONED BY THE FACT THAT THE
DECEASED CUSTOMER WAS A FOREIGNER AND SENEGAL CITEZEN CANNOT STAND AS
NEXT OF KIN.35% OF THE TOTAL MONEY WILL BE FOR YOU AS A FOREIGNER
PARTNER WHILE 5% WILL BE SET ASIDE TO COVER ANY EXPENSES THAT MIGHT BE
INCURED DURING THE PROCESS OF TRANSFERING THE FUND TO YOUR NOMINATED BANK
ACCOUNT.THERE IS AN EXPENSES IN THIS BUSINESS FOR YOU TO KNOW EARLIER,IF
YOU ARE WILLING TO HANDLE THIS DEAL WITH ME KINDLY GET BACK TO ME WITH
YOUR NAME--------------------------------- ADDRESS ------!
------------------------ TELE ---------------- FAX --------------- THI
S FOR EASY COMMUNICATION AND YOUR PERSONAL PICTURE TO ENABLE ME KNOW
WHOM I AM DEALING WITH. I WILL SEND YOU APPLICATION FORM WHICH YOU WILL
APPLY DIRECTLY TO THE BANK. NOTE.ASYOU WRITE TO MY BOX nd_micheallpaul@yahoo.fr <mailto:nd_micheallpaul@yahoo.fr> I DEMAND A HIGHEST TRUST FROM YOU TO
KEEP THIS BUSINESS STRICKLY CONFIDENTIAL FOR SECURITY REASONS AS YOU MAY
KNOW THAT THE BANK DO NOT KNOW THAT I AM THE ONE WHO CONTACTED YOU TO
STAND FOR THIS CLAIM. BEST REGARDS


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