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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: "SULEIMAN BARAU" <barauxa2@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2008 03:43:39 +0100
Subject: FUND INHERITANCE


Central Bank of Nigeria,
Plot 33, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Way
Central Business District,
Cadastral Zone,
Abuja, Nigeria.
Tel: +234-702-559 0617

Sir,

*RE:FUND INHERITANCE*

Accounts normalization of our foreign customers' banking details has given
me a lifetime opportunity which I believe I can share with you.

Andreas Schranner, his wife Maria, his daughter Andrea Eich, her husband
Christian, and their children Katharina, and Maximilian, all died in this
horrific plane crash of this generation involving a Concorde Aircraft -
AF4590 going to New York which crashed into Hotelissimo in France in 2000.
The history of the entire family of Andreas Schranner ended there. Full
details of this story could be found in the following web link.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm

My name is (Alhaji) Suleiman Barau. I am the Head of Banking Operations
(OPS) in Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)-since 13th December, 2007. The above
mentioned late property magnate is a German-born-United States citizen who
once came to Nigeria in January 2000 and deposited the sum of $15,000,000.00
(USD15. Million) which he intended to invest in property and real estate in
Nigeria afterwards.

As in banking laws in Nigeria, this abandoned deposit goes back to the pulse
of the government if unclaimed by the next of kin to the late depositor
after a given number of years of wasted efforts to trace any friend and
relative of the late customer in any part of the world.

If you can be utmost confidential and trustworthy, I will file in your name
as a relative of late Andreas Schranner which will make you the Next of Kin
and beneficiary of this abandoned deposit. I will send to you all documents
and information from his account file which you will need to officially
claim this deposit. Our bank will waste no time in transferring this said
sum to any bank account of your choice one your application is approved
here.

My interest in the sharing is 50% to you and 50% to me in as much as you
promise to protect my name and identity since I am still a serving Head of
my department here. I guarantee that the entire claim and transfer of the
said sum to you as risk-free. I am here to guide you properly. If not
acceptable by you, please do not use this opportunity to betray me but if
acceptable by you respond immediately by sending your direct telephone
number and address to me.

NOTE: This confidential mail is strictly PERSONAL and not official.

I urgently wait for your response.

Suleiman Barau
(HOPS)
Central Bank of Nigeria,
Plot 33, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Way
Central Business District,
Cadastral Zone,
Abuja, Nigeria.

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