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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: titi <mrs.titi@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mrstitibolkiah4god@yahoo.fr
Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2008 18:08:10 +0100
Subject: FROM MRS TITI BOLKIAH


My Beloved Friend.

This mail might come to you as a surprise and the temptation to ignore it as
unserious could come into your mind but please consider it a divine wish and
accept it with a deep sense of humility.

With due respect and humility, I write to you irrespective of the fact
that you don't know me. I got your contact through the international
directory on internet when I was making inquiry for foreign assistance.

I have decided to contact and bestow trust in you, which I pray you will not
ignore. I apologize in advance for any inconveniences that this proposal may
cause to you. Handle this discretely and contact me urgently if you can
assist me in this transaction,I am Mrs.Titi Bolkiah, of Repulic South
African, widow to Late Mr.Smith Bolkiah.

I am a 61 years old woman,I was the President/CEO of CON OILINTERNATIONAL
-an oil servicing company in Johannesburg.I was also married with no child.
My husband died 3years ago. Before the death of my husband, he kept $12
Million in a bond-term deposit account in a bank in Benin Republic.

I am writing from my sickbed,my reason of contacting you is to seek your
assistance in helping me to retrive my late husband bond deposited sum $12
Million with a bank in Benin Republic , because my husband and I have no
children, I am looking for a credible person to whom I will pass the right
of next of kin. This person will apply to the bank and request, from them,
the procedure towards transfering of the fund.

I have recently been daigonosed of esophageal cancer and my doctors have
told me that I have only a few months to live. It is my last wish to see
this money distributed to charity organizations for the benefit of the less
previlleges because my husband relatives and friends has plundered so much
of my wealth since my illness, I cannot live with the agony of entrusting
this huge responsibility to any of them. Please, I beg you in the name of
God to help me collect the $12 Million from the Bank and distributes it
amongst charity organizations.

You are at liberty to use your discretion to distribute the money and feel
free as well to reimburse yourself when you have the money for any expenses
and distributing the money to charity organizations on the condition that
you will take 25% of the fund for yourself,5% used for any expenses, while
you will use the remaining 70% for the less previlege people in the society.
Please try to reply me asap.

May the ALMIGHTY bless you and your family.
Best Regards,
Mrs.Titi Bolkiah.

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