joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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: "mariam ahmed" <mariam4ahmed1@latinmail.com>
Date: Sat, 6 Oct 2007 04:10:08 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: I WILL BE VERY HAPPY FOR YOUR URGENT REPLY,


I WILL BE VERY HAPPY FOR YOUR URGENT REPLY,
=20
CALVARY GREETINGS TO YOU IN THE PRECIOUS NAME OF OUR GOD, I AM HAPPY TO=
REQUEST FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE BECAUSE I BELIVE THAT YOU ARE NOT GOING TO=
BETRAY THE TRUST WHICH I AM GOING TO LAY ON YOU.
=20
MY NAME IS MARIAM AHMED , 22 YEARS OLD AND THE ONLY DAUGHTER OF MY LATE=
PARENTS MR.AND MRS MAHMOUD AHMED. MY FATHER WAS A HIGHLY REPUTABLE BUS=
SINESS MAGNET-(A COCOA MERCHANT) WHO OPERATED IN THE CAPITAL OF IVORY C=
OAST DURING HIS DAYS. IT IS SAD TO SAY THAT HE PASSED AWAY MYSTERIOUSLY=
IN FRANCE DURING ONE OF HIS BUSSINESS TRIPS ABROAD ON 12TH.DECEMBER 20=
05.THOUGH HIS SUDDEN DEATH WAS LINKED OR RATHER SUSPECTED TO HAVE BEEN =
MASTERMINDED BY AN UNCLE OF HIS WHO TRAVELLED WITH HIM AT THAT TIME, BU=
T GOD KNOWS THE TRUTH!=20
=20
MY MOTHER DIED WHEN I WAS JUST 4 YEARS OLD, AND SINCE THEN MY FATHER TO=
OK ME SO SPECIAL. BEFORE THE DEATH OF MY FATHER ON DECEMBER 20TH 2005 H=
E CALLED THE SECRETARY WHO ACCOMPANIED HIM TO THE HOSPITAL AND TOLD HER=
THAT HE HAS THE SUM OF (USD$23.500.000) TWENTY THREE MILLION FIVE HUND=
RED THOUSAND DOLLARS,WHICH HE DEPOSITED IN A SUSPENSE ACCOUNT IN A BANK=
HERE AND THE BANK AFFLIATE IVORY COAST AND THAT HE USED MY NAME AS HIS=
ONLY DAUGHTER FOR THE NEXT OF KIN IN DEPOSITING OF THE FUND.=20
=20
HE ALSO TOLD THE SECRETARY THAT I SHOULD NOT LET ANY OF HIS RELATIONS T=
O KNOW ABOUT THIS. BECAUSE HE WAS KILLED BY THEM AND IF THEY KNOW ABOUT=
IT, THAT THEY WILL DO NOTHING BUT TO KILL ME IN OTHER TO TAKE HOLD OF =
EVERY THING, HE TOLD HER THAT I SHOULD SEEK FOR GOD FEARING FOREIGN PAR=
TNER IN A COUNTRY OF MY CHOICE WHERE I WILL TRANSFER THIS MONEY AND USE=
IT FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSE, (SUCH AS REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT) AND ALSO T=
RAVEL WITH HIM OR HER IN OTHER TO CONTINUE MY EDUCATION AND ALSO TO STA=
RT A BUSSINESS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PERSON,
=20
MY DEAR, THIS IS WHY I HAVE COME INCONTACT WITH YOU IN ORDER TO HELP ME=
TO TRANSFER THE MONEY TO YOUR ACCOUNT AND ALSO TO MAKE AN ARRANGEMENT =
FOR ME ON HOW I WILL COME OVER TO YOUR COUNTRY IN OTHER TO CONTINUE MY =
EDUCATION AND ALSO TO GO INTO BUSSINES RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU HENCE I AM=
STILL A CHILD AND I DONT KNOW ANY THING ABOUT BUSSINES,=20
I AM JUST 22 YEARS OLD AND A UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATE AND REALLY DON'T =
KNOW WHAT TO DO. THIS IS BECAUSE I HAVE SUFFERED A LOT OF SET BACKS AS =
A RESULT OF INCESSANT POLITICAL CRISIS HERE IN IVORY COAST/ COTE DVOIRE=
THE DEATH OF MY FATHER ACTUALLY BROUGHT SORROW TO MY LIFE.
=20
MY DEAR, I AM IN A SINCERE DESIRE OF YOUR HUMBLE ASSISTANCE IN THIS REG=
ARDS AND YOUR SUGGESTIONS AND IDEAS WILL BE HIGHLY REGARDED.=20
NOW PERMIT ME TO ASK THESE FEW QUESTIONS:=20
=20
1. PLEASE CAN I COMPLETELY TRUST YOU?=20
2.CAN YOU ACCEPT ME AS YOUR OWN BLOOD SISTER?=20
3.WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT IN QUESTION WILL BE GOOD FOR YOUR=
EFFORT INPUT AFTER THE SUCCESSFUL TRANSFER?=20
=20
CONSIDER THIS AND GET BACK TO ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE WITH YOUR FULL ASS=
URANCE THAT YOU WILL NOT DISAPOINT ME IN THIS ISSUE SO THAT I CAN GIVE =
YOU THE CONTACT OF THE BANK WHERE MY LATE FATHER DEPOSITED THE FUND FOR=
YOU TO CONTACT THEM AND ASK THEM ON HOW THE FUND WILL BE TRANSFERED FR=
OM THEIR BANK TO YOUR OWN BANK.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND MAY ALMIGHTY GOD BLESS YOU=
AND YOUR FAMILY. =20
=20
YOURS SINCERELY,=20
MARIAM AHMED.


Descubre el poder latino en el Mes de la Hispanidad http://www.starmedi=
a.com/noticias/especiales/hispanos.html

Anti-fraud resources: