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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 STOWE WILLIAMS <enquires_myclientneedhelp@yahoo.com>
Date: 5 Apr 2008 20:00:18 +0200
Subject: TREAT WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT

Content-Type: text/html

Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit




FROM THE DESK OF BARRISTER STOWE WILLIAMS

PERSONAL LAWYER TO THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF

LIBERIA .

DEAR MADAM / SIR

MY NAME IS BARRISTER STOWE WILLIAMS, I AM A PRIVATE ATTORNEY AND I

HAVE A CLIENT WHO IS INTERESTED IN INVESTING SOME GOOD MONEY IN YOUR

COMPANY.

MY CLIENT IS A VERY IMPORTANT AND PROMINENT PERSON WHO HAS MANDATED ME

TO CONTACT YOU OR YOUR COMPANY FOR A VERY IMPORTANT BUSINESS

TRANSACTION.MY CLIENT IS BY NAME MR. CHARLES TAYLOR AND HE WAS THE FORMAL

PRESIDENTOF LIBERIA FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA. MR. CHARLES TAYLOR MADE ALOT

OF MONEY THROUGH GOLD/DIAMOND, OIL PROCEEDS DURING HIS TENURE IN OFFICE.

THE TRUTH OF THIS CASE IS THAT MY CLIENT DESPITE THE PROBLEM HE IS

GOING THROUGH NOW, HE STILL HAS A LOT OF MONEY IN HIS POSSESSION. WHICH HE

INTENDS TO INVEST OUTSIDE OUR COUNTRY LIBERIA. WHAT MY CLIENT NEEDS

FROM YOU NOW IS A RELIABLE ACCOUNT WHERE HE CAN TRANSFER SOME MONEY BUT

MIND YOU, ALL THE MONEY IN HIS POSSESSION CAN NOT LEAVE AT ONCE BECAUSE

HE NEEDS TO BUILD CONFIDENCE AND TRUST IN SOMEONE WHO WOULD NOT EXPOSE

HIS PLAN TO REMIT AND POSSIBLY INVEST IN YOUR COMPANY. SO HE HAS AGREED

THAT I SHOULD MAKE ARRANGEMENT FOR THE TRANSFER OF US$250 MILLION

UNITED STATES DOLLARS, THEN IF HE FINDS YOU RELIABLE, HE WILL STILL TRANSFER

THE REMAINING US$5O MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS AND YOU ARE FREE TO

NEGOTIATE YOUR MODE OF COMPENSATION EVEN IF HE INTENDS TO INVEST THE

MONEY IN YOUR COUNTRY.

PLEASE, DO NOT HESITATE TO INDICATE YOUR VIEW OF THIS REQUEST BY

CONTACTING ME IMMEDIATELY YOU RECEIVE THIS MAIL, SO THAT THE NECESSARY

ARRANGEMENTS CAN BE MADE FOR THE MONEY TO LEAVE IMMEDIATELY. DUE TO THE

PRESENT SITUATION OF MY CLIENT, I WOULD BE HAPPY IF THIS REQUEST CAN BE KEPT

A SECRET. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO NOTE THAT THERE IS NO RISK INVOLVED.

I HOPE MY CLIENT WOULD BE HAPPY INVESTING WITH YOU.IF THIS PROPOSAL IS

ACCEPTABLE BY YOU, DO NOT FORGET TO SEND YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONE AND FAX

NUMBERS WHEN REPLYING.

THANKS,



BARRISTER STOWE WILLIAMS




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