joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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: "Adam Smith" <smith@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: <smithadamsm1@aol.com>
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 2010 09:08:00 -0000
Subject: New Year offer.. (PA needed)

Hello

Are you available to run errands? I am looking for someone who can handle my
personal and business errands at his/her spare time. Someone who can offer me
these services:
Mail services: Receive my mails and drop them off at UPS (nothing illegal).
Shop for Gifts
Bill Payment
Sit for delivery( at your home) or pick items up at nearby post office at your
convenience.
Let me know if you will be able to offer me any of these services.
I should probably tell you more about the job...... This job is flexible so you
can do it wherever you are provided that there is a post office in the area. In
addition to that, I don't mind you doing all of the tasks during your spare time
outside of work or school.. I wish I could meet up with you to talk about this
job in person but I am currently away on business. I am in Spain so there will
be no interview. I will prepay you in advance to do my shopping and have my
mails/packages forwarded to your address. If you will be unable to stay at home
to get the mails, I can have them shipped to a post office near you and then you
can pick them up at your convenience.
All errands will be in your city/town so It is not a must that you have a car
for the job, you can go places by bus or taxi. When you get my mails/packages;
you are required to mail them to where I want them mailed to. You won't have to
put money out of your pocket, all you have to do is have packages shipped to
your house and do my shopping. You are allowed to open the packages to reveal
the content. The content of the packages will be business and personal mails...
All expenses and taxes will be covered by me. You will work between 15 and 20hrs
a month.
How much will you charge per week? I will pay $300.. That is not a bad offer is
it? I need your service because I am constantly out of town... I am an
Architect. I will return to America in March so this process will be on going
till then. If you don't mind, I will meet up with you when I return and then we
can talk about the possibility of making this long term. Well, let me know if
you are able to handle the position.

Thanks for your time,

Solomon Anderson.

Anti-fraud resources: