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: Ibrahim Ali <ibrahimali20@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: ibrahimali10@voila.fr
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 2010 23:58:22 +0530 (IST)
Subject: MR. IBRAHIM ALI.



DEAR FRIEND,  
 
I MAKE THIS APPEAL WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT ANY FACTS OR OPINION EXPRESSED BY ME ARE GIVING IN CONAFIDENCE AND SOLELY FOR YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION AND USE.  
 
I AM MR. BRAHIM ALI, THE MANAGER OF BILL AND EXCHANGE AT THE FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT OF MY BANK.  
 
BEFORE I WROTE YOU, I PRAYED THAT YOU WILL BE A HONEST AND RELIABLE PERSON WHOM I CAN WORK WITH TO ACHIEVE THIS DEAL OF OUR LIFE.FROM MY SECTION IN THE BANK, I DISCOVERED AN ABANDONED SUM OF SIX MILLION EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS ($6.8M) WITH ACCOUNT NUMBER 14-2558-5976 THAT BELONGS TO ONE OF OUR FOREIGN CUSTOMERS WHO DIED ALONG WITH HIS WIFE AND ONLY DAUGHTER IN A PLANE CRASH OF ALASKA AIRLINES FLIGHT NUMBER 261 WHICH CRASHED ON MONDAY, 31 JULY, 2000, 13:22 GMT 14:22 UK. WITH THE WHOLE PASSENGERS ABOARD.  
 
THE NAME OF THE DECEASED MAN WAS (MR. ANDREAS SCHRANNER FROM MUNICH,GERMANY). N.B.YOU SHALL READ MORE ABOUT THE CRASH ON VISITING THIS (WEBSITE) BEFORE YOU START WITH ME. BELOW IS THE WEBSITE.   http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm   IT IS THEREFORE UPON THIS DISCOVERY THAT I NOW DECIDED TO MAKE THIS BUSINESS PROPOSAL TO YOU AND FOR OUR BANK TO RELEASE THE MONEY TO YOU.   
 
YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTION WHICH I WILL BE SEND TO YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN OR RELATION TO THE DECEASED FOR SAFETY AND SUBSEQUENT DISBURSEMENT SINCE NOBODY IS COMING FOR IT AND I DON'T WANT THIS MONEY TO GO INTO OUR BANK TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED BILL. 
 
THE BANKING LAW AND GUIDELINES HERE STIPULATES THAT IF SUCH MONEY REMAINED UNCLAIMED AFTER SIX YEARS, THE MONEY WILL BE TRANSFERED INTO THE BANK TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED FUND. THE MONEY HAS NOW STAYED MORE THAN SIX YEARS AND I AM PREPARING DOCUMENTAION TO PROVE THAT THIS MONEY HAS BEEN TRANSFERED TO OUR BANK TREASURY.
 
IT WILL BE BETWEEN ME AND YOU ONLY THAT WILL KNOW THAT THE MONEY IS NOT TRANSFERED INTO OUR TREASURE.  
 
THIS REQUEST OF FOREIGNER AS NEXT OF KIN IN THIS TRANSACTION IS OCCASIONED BY THE FACT THAT THE CUSTOMER WAS A FOREIGNER AND A BURKINABE CANNOT STAND AS NEXT OF KIN TO A FOREIGNER.IN  APPRECIATION OF YOUR ASSISTANCE, I AM OFFERING YOU 35% OF THE TOTAL SUM. 5% FOR CONTINGENCIES (COST OF TRANSFER/OTHER CHARGES) LIKELY TO BE INCURRED DURING THE COURSE OF TRANSACTION, WHILE THE REMAINING 60% IS FOR ME.UPON RECEIPT OF YOUR REPLY.
 
I WILL SEND TO YOU BY FAX OR EMAIL THE TEXT OF THE APPLICATION WHICH YOU WILL COMPLETE AND FORWARD TO OUR BANK ASKING FOR THIS MONEY TO BE PAID TO YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO MR;ANDREAS SCHRANNER.  
 
PLEASE I WOULD LIKE YOU TO KNOW THE FOLLOWING INFORMATIONS.
(1.) THIS BUSINESS IS HUNDRED PERCENT FREE FROM RISK.
 
(2.)YOU WILL NOT FACE ANY MUCH QUESTIONS BECAUSE THE APPLICATION WILL BEAR THE BRIEF INFORMATION OF THE DECEASED WHICH THE BANK MAY LIKE TO KNOW.
 
(3.) IF YOU WILL FOLLOW MY INSTRUCTIONS AND DIRECTIVES,THIS TRANSACTION WILL BE COMPLETED WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
 
(4.)YOU SHOULD KEEP THIS BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL OR SECRET UNTIL THE FUND GET TRANSFERED INTO YOUR ACCOUNT FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY PURPOSE.
 
REGARDS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
YOURS FAITHFULLY, YOU SEND EMAIL ibakaf12@yahoo.com
CALL ME +226 75 21 4778
MR. IBRAHIM  ALI
 


The INTERNET now has a personality. YOURS! See your Yahoo! Homepage. http://in.yahoo.com/

Anti-fraud resources: