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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: "Smith Johnson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <smithdhl@live.co.uk>
Date: Sun, 25 Oct 2009 19:21:15 -0000
Subject: Abandoned Consignment


Hi dear,

My name is Smith Johnson of DHL UK; I work as the warehouse officer. There is a consignment in our office which has stayed here for almost 8 months; this consignment came from one Mr. Paul Acquah working Bank of Ghana in Africa to be delivered to one Mr. Steve Johnson in United States. I was instructed as the warehouse officer to find out the content of the fund, the scanning shows it contains cash in United States dollar currency.

I have made several contacts through our office in USA to locate this Steve Johnson in Maryland in USA, it was shocking that the address given in the airway bill do not exist, I also found out that Paul Acquah is no more working with Bank of Ghana. He used his influence as a bank worker to ship this fund through DHL office in Accra Ghana.

It's against the ethics of courier policy to transport cash; I have not declared to our office that the content is cash; you are the only one whom I am letting this information out. I have to write officially to my office that I have located the next of kin of Steve Johnson who the consignment should be forwarded to. I also took picture of the funds; approximately, it should be about $5M. I will like to have your full names and address, phone and fax numbers so that I will get all necessary documentations in your favour, then but I will seek the help of a diplomat to deliver the consignment to you.

Reach for details.

Regards,
Smith John
DHL, UK
+44 752 651 1769


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