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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: "John Wayas" <johnwayas1@gmx.com>
Date: Sun, 17 Aug 2008 09:53:52 +0200
Subject: Dear Friend,


Dear Friend,

I am Dr.John Wayas and i will fully introduce myself to you upon your
acceptance to handle this urgent and beneficial transaction with me, i work
with a finance company here in Dakar Senegal as Director.One of our
clients, Mr.Mamadou William, whom before his death was an adviser to the
Organization of Petroleum Export Country (OPEC), had over fifty Million
United States Dollars lodged with us. On his death five years ago, his heir
(his wife) put a claim for his money and my company paid off in line with
her request. However,his wife did not know that the facts of Twenty eight
Million United States Dollars(USD$28M) paid in by Mr.Mamadou William in a
different private deposit was still laying with us. I therefore made
further investigations and discovered that Mr.Mamadou did not declare any
next of kin or relations in all the official documents including his Bank
deposit paper work in our finance company.

This sum of USD$28M is still in our finance company but i have succeeded in
secretely moving out the file of deposit. No one has and will ever come
forward to claim it. According to Ecowas law, at the expiration of 7
(seven) years, The money will be reverted to the ownership of the
Senegalese Government if nobody applies to claim the funds. Based on my
position in this finance company , I have kept the facts of this case to
myself alone.The reason I have decided to contact you is because I am quite
certain I can move these funds into your account Immediately i see that you
are interested in this business.As i am the director in the telex
department,I shall update the files of deposit placing your name legally as
the next of kin on all the original files and deposit documents.You shall
only require to put in an application with a letter of probate, which I
will forward to you.

On grounds that you agree to handle this transaction with me, the money
will be shared in the ratio of 50% for me and 40% for you. However 10%
shall be mapped out in case of any expenses incured before or after this
transaction, it is quite necessary that this issue is kept as confidential
as possible for its successful completion within Some days.

Please contact me and I will direct you on every detailed steps we shall be
required to take and i assure you that with your full readiness,we shall
move out the deposit immediately within a few days. I will be expecting
your reply in my private email box .

Best Regards.
Dr.John Wayas

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