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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: barrister mike smith <mikesmith_1_1@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <barristermikesmith@myway.com>
Date: Thu, 8 Nov 2007 12:10:56 +0000
Subject: PARTNERSHIP


BARRISTER MIKE SMITH3 RAJDAMNERN AVENUE,
BANGKOK THAILAND
EMAIL barristermikesmith@myway.com
Attn:I AM AN ATTORNEY TO MR ANDREAS SCHRANNER WHO DIED WITH HIS FAMILY IN A PLANE CRASH IN THE MONTH OF JULY 2000. SEE THE WEBLINK FOR DETAILS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stmBEFORE HIS DEATH HE DEPOSITED THE SUM OF US$12.5 MILLION WITH A BANK IN BANGKOK THAILAND.THE BANK HAS ISSUED ME A NOTICE AS HIS ATTORNEY TO PROVIDE ANY OF HIS RELATIVE OR HAVE THE ACCOUNT CONFISTICATED WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD FROM NOW.IT WAS QUITE UNFORTUNATE THAT HIS ELDEST SON MAXIMILIA, WHO WAS LEGALLY DOCUMENTED AS THE NEXT-OF-KIN ALSO DIED IN THE PLANE CRASH LEAVING A VACUME TO BE FILLED AND WITH NO ONE COMING FORWARD SINCE MY CLIENT PASSED ON.I SEEK YOUR CONSENT TO PRESENT YOU AS A RELATIVE TO MY DECEASED CLIENT, SO THAT THE PROCEEDS OF HIS ACCOUNT VALUED AT 12.5 MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY CAN BE PAID TO YOU.THIS, I INTEND WE SHARE AMONGST OURSELVES IN THE RATIO OF 50% TO ME AND 40% FOR YOU, WHILE THE BALANCE OF 10% WE SHALL USE FOR SETTLING ANY MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES THAT!
MIGHT ARISE. 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.YOU SHOULD TRUST ME AS HIS LAWYER AND PERSONAL CONSULTANT; THAT THIS IS A RISK-FREE TRANSACTION. KINDLY SEND ME THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:1)YOUR FULL NAMES AND ADDRESS AS YOU WANT THEM USED IN THE PAYMENT DOCUMENTS.2)YOUR TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS .3)YOUR AGE.4) YOUR OCCUPATION/POSITION.UPON RECEIPT OF THIS INFORMATION,WE WILL FORWARD THEM TO THE BANK WITH A POWER OF ATTORNEY FROM COURT PRESENTING YOU AS THE NEXT-OF-KIN/RELATIVE AND AS SUCH THE BENEFICIARY OF THE FUNDSTHANK YOU IN ANTICIPATION OF YOUR COOPERATION.MY WARM PERSONAL REGARDS,BARRISTER MIKE SMITH {ESQ}.
PLEASE, CONTACT ME THROUGH MY EMAIL ABOVE TO ENABLES US DISCUSS FURTHER.
_________________________________________________________________
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