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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: "Mr. Smith Kayelor" <smith_6ks@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <smith_4kayelor@yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 18 Nov 2007 09:34:45 +0000
Subject: TREAT WITH GOODFAITH



Hello ,
How is life with you and your family? I hope all is well? Before Iwrite further, I will like to introduce myself to you. My names areSmith kayelor, I am a South African citizen, and my father was the arkenemyof president robert mugabe before he was finally eliminated by mugabe.Before the death of my father, he used my name to deposit some amountof money because am the only child of my father,the amount depositis($8.5million).he deposit it in a particular bank in United Kingdom.Last week, I called the the bank manager ,he assure me that it will onlytake them 48working-hours to transfer the fundthrough wire-bankingsystem,and 24 hours for diplomatic delivery sincethe fund is legitimatelymine.All I want is for you to please help me; Iam only 19yrs old.there isnobody to run to because my father family want to take the fund from me.I need your assistance and advice. Thebank manager told me that my father left specific instruction that the consignment should not be release to me freely until I am 25years oruntil I produce a foreignpartner who lives outside Africa. I promise you that once the fund gets intoyour account, take out 25% and help me invest the balance 75%, also youhelp me to get traveling documents e.g. visa and ticket to meet you up once the fund are transfer intoyour account,because I cannot go back to my country. Please kindly forwardyour account information to meimmediately and a copy of your proof ofidentification and details likephone number and address,to enable me give it to the bank so they canstart up the transfer process.or you cancontact them by yourself.hope to get reply from you.
Thanks and God bless you,
Smith Kayelor
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