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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: "julia simson" <julia_simson13@klikni.cz>
Date: Fri, 23 May 2008 00:32:38 -0700
Subject: ASSITANCE


*STONE QUARRY CLOSE*
*ROBBEN ISLAND,SOUTH AFRICA
Email:frankpitole@webmail.co.za <Email%3Afrankpitole@webmail.co.za>*
**
*Dear Sir/Madam,*
*I believe this message would come to you as a surprise. In fact, it is in
respect
of the strict confidence given to me that you are honest and versatile
in business that motivated my interest to seek your co-operation in this
transaction. My father is late General Antonio Pitole the former Vice
president of UNITA rebels in Angola. He was the Chairman of Angolan
Petroleum Monitoring Committee (APMC) 1992 to 2002. Sadly, he died after
an injury sustained during the ambush on The UNITA rebel on 25th
February 2002 where the President of UNITA, Dr. Jonas Savimbi was
killed. As you might have known, Petroleum is the major revenue source
in Angola (Southern Africa). My father made a lot of money through the
job but could not invest the money immediately to avoid probe by the
military government. He was able to save the sum of $5,000,000.00
(Five-Million United States Dollars). He deposited this sum with a
security firm in Johannesburg in South Africa. The documents used in
these deposit, together with the key of the safe, are with my mother.*
*In my father's will, he instructed that this money must be
invested overseas with the help of a foreigner who is reliable and
trustworthy. So as to avoid probe by the federal government of Angola,
since he was a general in the war torn Angola, and could not have
amassed such wealth legally.*
**
*With his death, I came to South Africa
to live with my mother as a refugee but the violence and high incidence
of robbery and murder here is alarming. Hence, I am contacting you to
assist my mother and me in relocating to your Country. Consequently, I
now seek your cooperation to come to South Africa so that we can open a
company account with your Company name here in Johannesburg, and then
the Security company can deposit the money into the Company account for
transfer to any account which you may provide. Again, whereby you can
not come to South Africa we can improvise another means to get the funds
into your account.*
**
*My mother and I have agreed to give 20% of the total sum to you while 70%
will be for us then, the remaining 5% will be used to offset the bills
incurred in the Course of the transfer while 5% will be for charity.*
*The most important thing is to assist us to relocate to your country to
live. However you are advised to reply me by mail. On receipt of your reply,
You will be given all the necessary details and documents.*
*Thanks for your anticipated Co-operation.*
**
*Frank Pitole *

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