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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: abdkarim600@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 20:19:58 +0000
Subject: <<From Abdoullah<<


Dear friend.

Though I know that a transaction of this magnitude will make anyone
apprehensive and worried, but I am assuring you that all will be well at the
end of the day.I decided to contact you due to the urgency of this
transaction.I am contacting you in regards to a business transfer of a huge
sum of money from a deceased account.

*BUSINESS STATUS*
I discovered an abandant sum of $10.2M(ten Million Two Hundred thousand United
states Dollars) in an account that belongs to one of our foreign customers
MR ANDREAS SCHRANNER who died along with his entire family web site :

(http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm).

Since his death, none of his next-of-kin or relations has come forward to
lay claims to this money as the heir. I cannot release the fund from his
account unless someone applies for claim as the next-of-kin to the deceased
as indicated in our banking guidelines.

Upon this discovery, I now seek your permission to have you stand as a next
of kin to the deceased as all documentations will be carefully worked out by
me for the funds $10.2M(ten Million Two Hundred thousand United states
Dollars) to be released in your favour as the beneficiary's next of kin. It
may interest you to note that I have secured from the probate an order of
madamus to locate any of deceased beneficiaries.

Please acknowledge receipt of this message in acceptance of my mutual
business endeavour by furnishing me with the following;

1. Your Full Names and Address.

2. Direct Telephone and Fax numbers.

These requirements will enable me file a letter of claim to the appropriate
departments for necessary approvals in your favour before the transfer can
be made.
I shall be compensating you with $4.9 Million Dollars on final conclusion of
this project,while the rest $5.3Million shall be for me.

Your share stays with you while the rest shall be for me for investment
purposes in your country. If this proposal is acceptable by you, do not take
undue advantage of the trust I have bestowed in you, I await your urgent
email.

My regards,

Mr. Abdoullah Karim.

Anti-fraud resources: