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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: Maxwell Vivian <maxwellvivian7@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 3 Sep 2007 04:32:35 +0000
Subject: DO WE NEGOTIATE ?





MR.MAXWELL VIVIAN
25 HOPE CRESCENT,
SANDTON, JOHANNESBURG,
SOUTH AFRICA .
TEL+27783904438
SIR,

REQUEST FOR BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP

I WAS CONVINCED TO WRITE TO YOU AFTER RECIEVING INFORMATION ABOUT THE INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN YOUR COUNTRY FROM YOUR COUNTRY'S EMBASSY IN PRETORIA SOUTH AFRICA.
MY NAME IS MR MAXWELL VIVIAN, A SENIOR AUDITOR WITH THE AMALGAMATED BANK OF SOUTH AFRICA ABSA. I AM PRESENTLY WORKING AT THE ABSA BRANCH IN MIDRAND DURING THE QUARTERLY AUDITING OF THE BANK’S ACCOUNT LAST YEAR,

I DISCOVERED THAT THERE IS A DORMANT ACCOUNT THAT HAS NOT BEEN OPERATED FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS, ON FURTHER INVESTIGATION I DISCOVERED THAT THE ACCOUNT BELONGS TO A FORIEGNER MR JOHN WILLIAMS, THE FORMER OWNER OF SAFARI FARMS LTD MIDRAND, MR WILLIAMS AND HIS FARMILY WAS KILLED BY ARMED ROBBERS IN HIS FARM HOUSE ON THE 5TH OF APRIL 1998 HENCE NOBODY HAVE OPERATED THE ACCOUNT SINCE THEIR DEATH.

IN 2003, THE BANK OBTAINED AN ORDER OF MANDAMUS TO LOCATE THE DISTANT RELATION OF THE FAMILY TO RELEASE THE MONEY TO THEM, SINCE THAT TIME NOBODY HAVE COME TO CLAIM THE MONEY.
THE TOTAL AMOUNT IN THE ACCOUNT IS US$24,8(TWENTY FOUR MILLON EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS).

MY PURPOSE OF CONTACTING YOU IS TO STAND AS THE DISTANT RELATIONS OF THE FAMILY SO THAT THE MONEY WILL BE RELEASED TO YOU. I WILL GIVE YOU ALL THE INFORMATION NEEDED FOR THE BANK TO RELEASE THE MONEY AND TRANSFER IT TO YOUR ACCOUNT. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE MONEY HAVE BEEN TRANSFERED INTO YOUR ACCOUNT, I WILL JOIN YOU IN YOUR COUNTRY . YOU WILL TAKE 31% OF THE TOTAL MONEY EXCLUDING ANY EXPENCES WHILE I WILL TAKE 65% OF THE MONEY EXCLUDING MY EXPENCES.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED,CONTACT ME THROUGH MY EMAIL.

BEST REGARDS ,
MAXWELL VIVIAN
_________________________________________________________________
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