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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: frederick narh <frednarh@mail2cool.com>
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2010 04:46:43 -0700 (PDT)
Subject:


Hello,
I hope you would spare some time to read my message. my names are frederick narh, the only surviving son of the Late mr. jonathan narh of serial one. I lost my both parents in a war disaster incident in Sierra leone where my late father based as a farmer being my mother country.
I came to Ghana on the 19th of March 2010  by COSCO  CONTAINER SHIPING LINE with my consignment which content are 5.5 Million United State dollars, and 75 kilos of AU gold, and these boxes are still at the GHANA port and Harbor due to the clearance fee that was charge to clear it. But, I have some money in my ATM  CARD  which I was hoping to use for all these  expenses, but on my getting to the bank here to make some withdraw from my card, I was asked to reactivate my card with a sum of hundred and seventy five dollar (175usd), then there was no cash with me, so all  I did was to meet the United  Nation lawyer here in Ghana who took me to the Ghana  West Africa refugee  camp where  you where recommended to me  by Mr. Singh, a red cross official as a truthful and Gods fearing  fellow.
Please, if TRUTH and TRUST will continue to be our ROCK BAND in everything we do, I will so much appreciate it because this my  inheritance is all my life and I will not afford to lose it. Dear, my late father's lawyer told me about too many forged people in the world, and that is why I have to be careful to choose for partner. So, when I was coming to Ghana, the money in the card was made for my clearance and putting up here to work for my going out of this country with my belongings, and now, all is hooked up.
Meanwhile, I used the last money on me to secure a hotel for these few finished days. So all I have in my card is two thousand seven hundred dollars for the clearance, feeding, and a laptop for my self communication as my lawyer advice me to avoid the internet hoodlum. Now the total amount to clear my consignment is three thousand eight hundred dollars (3,800usd). Please I need your kind assistance to get this boxes out so that we can work towards moving it to your end for my investments and a better future.
Dear I demand for a very clear understands of each other in this transaction, like as am attaching my personal pictures to this mail. Please my problem is to get these boxes out by tomorrow because is cussing   me restless, and also want everything to be done quickly to avoid my long stay here in Africa.
 
Note: I am very sorry for the delay in my  emailing you, there is network problem here.
Thanks and God Bless< as I wait to hear from you.
Faithfully
frederick narh

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