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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: "Boboeva Rafoat" <bovtfav@googlemail.com>
Reply-To: rafbov@rocketmail.com
Date: Tue, 9 Dec 2008 07:56:05 +0100
Subject: Hello


Hello,

I know very well that you will be surprise reading this kind of message from
unknown person from far country that is not close to yours which I'm well
convinced that is a divine direction.
To start with, I am Boboeva Rafoat, a 49 years old woman from Tajikistan who
was formerly the Main – director of children crisis, centre, director of
women organization, coordinator - the league of women lawyers on north
region. After 1992-97 war between a hard-line secular government and mostly
Islamic opposition in Tajikistan left about 100,000 people dead and the
nation's economy in shambles, I was removed from the post by the government
of Emomali Rakhmon, who is now in third term as president. Please, I don't
want you to see my message to you as a mistake; I have a great purpose
contacting you which I know will be of a great benefit to you and your
entire family in time to come. During my leadership as director of children
crisis, centre, director of women organization, coordinator - the league of
women lawyers on north region, Mahmadruzi Iskandarov who was a field
commander in Tajikistan's civil war of the early 1990s used me in moving the
sum of 16.9 million US dollars out side the country for foreign investments.
Now Mahmadruzi Iskandarov was kidnapped in Moscow and secretly brought to
Tajikistan when an extradition request failed. Critics say the case against
him is politically motivated. He was found guilty of illegal possession of
arms, embezzlement of government money, and for organising what the Supreme
Court judge called "terrorist acts." The terrorism charges relate to an
attack on a militia post in Mr Iskandarov's native region of Tajikabad last
year which the authorities say he helped to organise.

On Tuesday, another former civil war field commander, Eribek Ibragimov, was
sentenced to 22 years in prison for taking part in the same attack. Mr
Ibragimov had supported the Islamic opposition in the war. In exile, After
the civil war, Mr Iskandarov became leader of the opposition Democratic
Party. He entered the government following a peace deal in 1998 and was
appointed head of the state gas company. But he left that post following
accusations of embezzlement and went to Russia two years ago. There he was
arrested, but the Russian courts turned down an extradition request from
Tajikistan. Some time later, he was kidnapped in a Moscow suburb and
subsequently turned up in the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, prompting an outcry
from human rights groups. Since the government has putting me under house
arrest, due to their suspicious over my relationship with Mahmadruzi
Iskandarov, I will like you to do me a favour in standing as my foreign
partner who will contact the Finance Institute for the clearance of a
deposit, which every documents bears my name as the depositor. Contact me
urgently for us to discuss this deal in details. At my position now, oral
communication is not permitted from me due to monitors from government but I
can use my Laptop, but with faith and trust, I know you will not betray my
trust in future. Reply me urgently with more information about yourself for
a proper confirmation of your capability of handling this deal/investment of
the money since my time of coming out from the government hand is something
I can not predict for now. I know that is risk discussing this kind of deal
in the internet but due to my position now, I have no option then to take
the risk in other to secure this huge amount of funds.

Sincerely yours,
Mrs.Boboeva Rafoat

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