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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: "infoce center" <center_infoce@klikni.cz>
Reply-To: martintakawira11@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Tue, 27 May 2008 07:24:07 -0700
Subject: The desk of Barrister Martin Takawira


The desk of Barrister Martin Takawira
Canadian High Commission Trade Office Cradock Place , 10 Arnold Street,
Rosebank Johannesburg, South Africa.

Dear Sir/Madam,
I believe you will understand my situations, even if we have not met but I
know you will understand that I source your name from human resource profile
catalog on your realm.

Barrister Martin Takawira is my name, I am the Personal Attorney to Late Mr.
Hand Riekie who was working with Anglo Platinum Limited, Located at
Johannesburg South Africa , On the 6th day of june 2007, My Client and his
wife and their two children were involved in a car accident along Gauteng
Road Johannesburg , South Africa .

Regrettably, they all lost their lives in the event of the accident and
since then I have made several enquiries to your Embassy to locate any of my
client's relatives, nut no way,
My friend, I decided to trace his relatives over the Internet to locate any
member of his family but to no avail, hence, I contacted you to assist in
repatriating the money left behind by my client in a Bank. Particularly, I
know the bank where he deposited the fund, the amount there is (35 Million
Rands only) the bank knows me very well and they have asked me to present
some one to claim the fund left my late client as they all know I am his
only notary.

Now, the bank said I should get the spouse within the next ten official
working days. Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for
almost 2 years now, I will be happy to present you as the spouse of the
deceased to claim the fund as the only existing spouse to him so that the
Bank will transfer the fund to your account.

As soon as you have received the fund in your account, I will come over to
your country to meet with you for the disbursement of the fund and then you
and I will share the money in this order: 70% will be for me, 30% will be
for you. I have all the necessary legal documents that can back our claim we
may make with the Bank.

All involve is your honest co-operation and pure mind to enable us seeing
this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate
arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.

Best regards.

Barrister Martin Takawira
Basic Notary

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