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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: "issa garba" <dr.isagarba06@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2008 01:26:52 +0000
Subject: CONFIDENTIAL


FROM THE DESK OF DR ISSA GARBA,
AUDITING AND ACCOUNTING MANEGER,
BANK OF AFRICA (B.O.A)
OUAGADOUGOU-BURKINA FASO.

DEAR FRIEND,
I KNOW THIS MESSAGE WILL COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE. I AM THE BILL AND
EXCHANGE MANAGER IN BANK OF AFRICA (BOA), OUAGADOUGOU BURKINA FASO. I HOPED
THAT YOU WILL NOT EXPOSE OR BETRAY THIS TRUST AND CONFIDENT THAT I AM ABOUT
TO IMPOSE ON YOU FOR THE MUTUAL BENEFIT OF OUR FAMILIES.I NEED YOUR URGENT
ASSISTANCE IN TRANSFERRING THE SUM OF (USD$25 M) MILLION TO YOUR ACCOUNT
WITHIN 10 TO 17 BANKING DAYS. THIS MONEY HAS BEEN DORMANT FOR YEARS IN OUR
BANK WITHOUT ANY BODY CLAIMING THE FUND.
I WANT THE BANK TO RELEASE THE MONEY TO YOU AS THE NEAREST PERSON TO
OUR DECEASED CUSTOMER (THE OWNER OF THE ACCOUNT) BELONGS TO ONE OF OUR
FOREIGN CUSTOMER (MR. RICHARD BURSON) WHO DIED ALONG WITH HIS ENTIRE FAMILY
ON NOVEMBER 1999 IN A PLANE CRASH.

FOR MORE INFORMATIONS ABOUT THE CRASH YOU CAN VISIT THIS SITE:
HTTP://NEWS.BBC.CO.UK/2/HI/
AMERICAS/502503.STM <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/HI/AMERICAS/502503.STM>

I DON'T WANT THE MONEY TO GO INTO OUR BANK TREASURER ACCOUNT AS AN
ABANDONED FUND. SO THIS IS THE REASON WHY I CONTACTED YOU SO THAT THE BANK
CAN RELEASE THE MONEY TO YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASED CUSTOMER.
PLEASE I WOULD LIKE YOU TO KEEP THIS PROPOSAL AS A TOP SECRET AND DELETE IT
IF YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED.
UPON RECEIPT OF YOUR REPLY, I WILL GIVE YOU FULL DETAILS ON HOW THE
BUSINESS WILL BE EXECUTED AND ALSO NOTE THAT YOU WILL HAVE 30% OF THE
ABOVE MENTIONED SUM IF YOU AGREE TO HANDLE THIS BUSINESS WITH ME.
AND 10% WILL BE SET ASIDE FOR ANY EXPENSES THAT ARISES ON THE PROCESS
BEFORE THE FUND GET INTO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT SUCH AS TELEPHONE CALLS BILLS
(ETC).

PLEASE DO RESPOND TO THIS EMAIL
ADDRESS?dr.isagarba2@ yahoo.com
I LOOKING FORWARD RECEIVING YOUR RETURN MAIL

THANKS AND HAVE A GREAT DAY.
1. NAME IN FULL:......................... .......
2. ADDRESS:...................... .................
3. NATIONALITY:.................. .................
4. AGE:.......................... ...................
5. SEX........................... ...................
6. OCCUPATION:................... ...................
7. MARITAL STATUS:....................... ...........
8. PHONE......................... ...................
9. FAX:.......................... ...................
KIND REGARDS,
DR ISSA GARBA.

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