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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: "leomikepvt1@aim.com" <leomikepvt1@aim.com>
Date: Sun, 12 Aug 2007 13:27:08 +1200
Subject: FROM LEO MIKE

LEO MIKE

ATTN: SIR/MADAM,

PERMIT ME TO INFORM YOU OF MY DESIRE OF GOING INTO
BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU. I GOT YOUR
CONTACT FROM NETHERLANDS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND
INDUSTRY. I PRAYED OVER IT AND SELECTED YOUR NAME
AMONG OTHERS DUE TO IT'S ESTEEMING NATURE AND THE
RECOMMENDATIONS GIVEN TO ME AS A REPUTABLE AND TRUST
WORTHY PERSON I CAN CONFIDE ON AND BY THEIR
RECOMMENDATIONS I MUST NOT HESITATE TO CONFIDE IN YOU
FOR THIS SIMPLE AND SINCERE REQUEST.

I AM LEO MIKE,A 22YEARS OLD BOY, THE ONLY SON OF LATE CHIEF AND MRS
CHRISTOPHER LEO. MY FATHER WAS A VERY WEALTHY COCOA MERCHANT BASED IN
ABIDJAN, THE ECONOMIC CAPITAL OF IVORY COAST BEFORE HE WAS POISONED TO DEATH
BY HIS BUSINESS ASSOCIATES ON ONE OF THEIR EVENING OUTING TO DISCUSSON A
BUSINESS DEAL.

WHEN MY MOTHER DIED ON THE 21ST OCTOBER 1999, MY FATHER TOOK ME SO SPECIAL
BECAUSE AM MOTHERLESS. BEFORE THE DEATH OF MY FATHER ON 24TH APRIL 2002, IN
A PRIVATE HOSPITAL IN ABIDJAN, HE SECRETLY CALLED ME ON HIS BED SIDE AND
TOLD ME THAT HE HAS A SUM OF US$7M (SEVEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS)
LEFT IN A BANK HERE IN AMSTERDAM NETHERLANDS.

THAT HE USED MY 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 POISONED BY HIS
BUSINESS ASSOCIATES, 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 AMSTERDAM-NETHERLANDS WHERE THE FUND IS DEPOSITED. I AM RIGHT NOW
IN AMSTERDAM AS A REFUGEE.

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 SEVEN (7) DAYS,
YOU SIGNIFY INTEREST TO ASSIST ME.

ANTICIPATING HEARING FROM YOU SOON.

THANKS AND GOD BLESS.

EMAIL ME DIRECTLY ON leomikepvt1@aim.com

BEST REGRADS
LEO MIKE

















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