joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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: "fred pedro" <pedo.fred@fastwebmail.it>
Reply-To: pedrofred@cantv.net
Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2008 12:21:17 +0000
Subject: "HI? PLS REPLY !


"HI? PLS REPLY !

Greetings in the name of the LORD most high.
I am Alfred Tapedo, 24 yrs, the only son of late MR. DONALD TAPEDO from Cote
D'Ivoire. A Gold and Cocoa Merchant and a know politician in my country who
died 5 months ago.

The source through which I got your contact gave me the confidence to
contact you for your kind assistance to help us transfer and secure the (US$
15M) deposited by my late father in a bank here for investment in your
country. He called me before his death on his sick bed and told me about
this deposit he used my name his only son as the next of Kin because Our
Mother died many years ago hours after the birth of my younger Sister
(Prisca) now 18 yrs old. He also told me that it was because of his wealth
that he was poisoned, that we should look for a reliable person in any
country of our choice who will help us for investment and as our guardian
for future life.

Please I humbly seek for your assistance in the following ways.
1-To assist us provide a trusted account for the transfer.
2-To serve as our guardian and the investment.
3-To make arrangement for us to come over to your country to futher our
education and to help us secure a residential permit in your country.

We are willing to offer you 20% for your humble assistnace. waiting your
soonest reply to enable me give you full details.
Remain blessed.

Sincerely,
Alfred Tapedo And Sister (Prisca).

Anti-fraud resources: