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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.Bruce Smith" <brusithx@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Mon, 21 Jul 2008 04:24:53 -0700
Subject: Urgent Attention.


Dear,
Good day, I must Firstly solicit your time and patience I am Mr.
Bruce Smith, a Solicitor at Law. A National of Scotland base and
practice in London. I am the personnel attorney and adviser on
monetary and personal, secret matters to Chief (Mrs.) Stella Obasanjo,
now (late) the (First Lady) to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

My client died in Marbella Hospital in Malaga Spain, of complications
arising from cosmetic surgery to reduce fat from her body on Saturday
22nd October 2005. I came to know you in my private search for a
reliable and reputable person to handle this Confidential Transaction,
I must solicit your confidence in this transaction, and this is by
virtue of its nature as being utterly confidential and top secret.

Though I know that a transaction of this magnitude will make any one
apprehensive and worried, due to the level of fraud around now, but I
am assuring that this is real and genuine. This involves the transfer
of a huge sum of money. ($45,000,000) (Fourth Five Million US Dollar).
To a foreign account requiring maximum confidence. Your response
permits me to introduce my proposed plans and aid.

Thanks. Bruce Smith (Esq.)
Phone: +447031911701

Anti-fraud resources: