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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: "allenpaull@sify.com" <allenpaull1968@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:51:27 +0200
Subject: good news


BARR. ALLEN PAUL (ESQ.)
CARRETERA DE MADRID KM 241'5 N-10
50012 ZARAGOZA MADRID, SPAIN.
EMAIL: allenpaull@sify.com
TEL/FAX... 0034-911 41 2220
GOOD DAY,
I APOLOGISE FOR SENDING THIS MAIL TO YOU BUT THIS IS A MATTER OF URGENCY AND
I WOULD LIKE TO CLARIFY THIS MATTER WITH YOU. MY NAME IS ALLEN PAUL,
SOLICITOR AND FINANCIAL CONSULTANT TO THE LATE MR. ALFRED WOLFANG A PROPERTY
MAGNATE AND BUILDING CONTRACTOR BASED HERE IN MADRID, SPAIN.ON 2004, MY
CLIENT DIED IN A TRIAN BOMB BLAST HERE IN MADRID, SPAIN. (HALLMARK OF
AL-QAEDA). FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS CRASH AND PEOPLE INVOLVED, VISIT
THIS WEBSITE:
HTTP://NEWS.BBC.CO.UK/1/HI/IN_DEPTH/EUROPE/2004/MADRID_TRAIN_ATTACKS/DEFAULT.STM<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/HI/IN_DEPTH/EUROPE/2004/MADRID_TRAIN_ATTACKS/DEFAULT.STM>
HTTP://QUERY.NYTIMES.COM/GST/FULLPAGE.HTML?RES=9C00E4DC1139F937A35757C0A9629C8B63<http://query.nytimes.com/GST/FULLPAGE.HTML?RES=9C00E4DC1139F937A35757C0A9629C8B63>
MY CLIENT WAS A SUCCESSFUL AND AN ACCOMPLISHED FAMILY MAN WHO MADE ENOUGH
FORTUNE BEFORE HIS UNTIMELY DEATH. HE LEFT BEHIND A LARGE DEPOSIT IN HIS
INVESTMENT ACCOUNT WITH A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION HERE. UPON HIS DEATH, THE
FINANCIAL INSTITUTION CONTACTED ME AS HIS SOLICITOR AND ATTORNEY TO PROVIDE
THEM WITH A NEXT OF KIN OR INHERITOR SINCE HIS FAMILY DIED WITH HIM IN THE
CRASH LEAVING A VACCUM TO BE FILLED. MEANWHILE, I HAVE MADE SEVERAL INQUIRES
ON MY OWN TO LOCATE HIS NEXT OF KIN BUT ALL HAS PROVED UNSUCCESSFUL. I EVEN
CONTACTED EMBASSIES TO SEE IF I CAN LOCATE ANY OF HIS RELATIVES BUT ALL MY
EFFORT WAS ABORTIVE.
TWO WEEKS AGO, THE BANK ADOPTED A RESOLUTION AND I WAS MANDATED TO PROVIDE
HIS NEXT OF KIN OR INHERITOR WITHIN 21 BANKING DAYS OR FORFEIT THE MONEY TO
THE BANK AS ABANDONED PROPERTY AND UNCLAIMED FUND ACCORDING TO THE DECREE OF
1936 ALLOWED THE BANK TO CONFISCATE THE FUND AFTER THE EXPIRATION OF THE
PERIOD GIVEN TO ME. I AM CONVINCED THAT IT IS BY THE GRACE OF GOD THAT I AM
ABLE TO LOCATE YOU. HENCE MY LETTER TO YOU, BELEIVING THAT YOU ARE RELIABLE
TO BE PRESENTED TO THE BANK AS THE INHERITOR TO THE FUND. I THEREFORE
DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU WITH THESE FACTS BEFORE ME BECAUSE OF THE URGENCY OF
THE SITUATION PRESENTLY.
BY VIRTUE OF MY CLOSENESS TO THE DECEASED AND HIS IMMEDIATE FAMILY, I AM
VERY MUCH AWARE OF MY CLIENT FINANCIAL STAND. TO THIS EFFECT, I NOW SEEK
YOUR CONSENT TO PRESENT YOU TO THE BANK AS THE INHERITOR SO THAT THE
PROCEEDS OF THIS DEPOSIT VALUED AT US$10, 500, 000.00 (TEN MILLION AND FIVE
HUNDRED THOUSAND U.S DOLLARS) WILL BE PAID TO YOU AND THEN YOU AND I WILL
SHARE THE MONEY. 50% TO ME, 40% TO YOU WHILE 10% WHILE BE GIVEN TO ANY
ORPHANAGE HOME.
I GUARANTEE THAT THIS WILL BE EXECUTED UNDER A LEGITIMATE ARRANGEMENT THAT
WILL PROTECT YOU FROM ANY BREACH OF THE LAW. TRUST ME AS HIS FINANCIAL
CONSULTANT THAT THIS IS A RISK FREE TRANSACTION.
IMMEDIATELY YOU RECEIVE THIS MAIL, PLEASE GET IN TOUCH WITH ME VIA (E-MAIL:
) WITH THE BELOW DETAILS THAT WILL BE USED FOR DOCUMENTATION AND PROCESSING
OF THE PAYMENT IN YOUR FAVOR:
YOUR FULL NAME:
YOUR FULL ADDRESS:
TELEPHONE, FAX AND CELL NUMBERS:
PRIVATE EMAIL:
AGE:
OCCUPATION AND ORGANISATION:
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:
SEX:
MARITAL STATUS:
YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE IS HIGHLY NEEDED.
YOURS SINCERELY,

BARR ALLEN PAUL (ESQ)

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