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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: Mark Osemeka <ma.osemeka3@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <markosemeka_202@katamail.com>
Date: Mon, 13 Aug 2007 13:28:50 +0100
Subject: Dear Chandler



Dear Chandler,
Firstly, I apologize for sending you this sensitive information via e-mail instead of a Certified mail/Post-mail. This is due to the urgency and importance of the information.
I am Barrister Mark Osemeka , a solicitor at law. I am the personal attorney to Engr. Michael Chandler, a national of your country, possibly could be your brother,who used to work with one of the leading oil companies here in Nigeria. Herein after shall be referred to as my client. On the 21st of April 2004, my client, his wife and their two Children were involved in an auto crash in a remote village called Kuru near Jos in Plateau State.All occupants of the car unfortunately lost their lives.
Since then I have made several enquiries to your embassy here in lagos to locate any of my clients extended relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful.After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to track his last name over the Internet,to locate any member of his family hence I contacted you.
I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and property left behind by my client before they get confiscated,frozen or declared unserviceable by the bank where these huge deposits were lodged.Particularly, the bank where the deceased had an account valued at Seven Million United States Dollars(US$7,000,000:00).The management has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have the account frozen within the next ten official working days. Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 2 years now, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased since you have the same last name so that the proceeds of this amount valued at $7,000,000:00 can be paid to you and then you and I can share the money. 50% to me and 50% to you.
I have all the necessary legal documents that can be used to back up any claim we may make.
I want you to send the following info to enable me start procurement of the inheritance documents to your favour.
Full Names:Contact address:Home, Work and Cell Telephone #:Age:Occupation:
All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.
Please Reply urgently to enable us discuss further.via this E-mail address: (markosemeka202_esq@gawab.com)
Best Regards,
Barrister Mark Osemeka
_________________________________________________________________
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