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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: Joefrey Otama <joefrey17@cantv.net>
Date: Sun, 2 May 2010 06:27:26 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Greetings From Joefrey and Vickey Otama


Greetings From Joefrey and Vickey Otama



I am writting this letter with due respect and heartful of tears since we have not known ourselves previously.



I am asking for your assistance after I have gone through a profile that speaks good of you. I will be so glad if you can allow and lead me to the right channel towards your assistance to our situation now.I will make my proposal well known if I am given the opportunity. I would like to use this opportunity to introduce myself to you. well, I am Joefrey Otama 20yrs and my younger sister Vickey Otama is 17yrs. I know that this proposal might be a surprise to you but do consider it as an emmergency.



In nutshell, our late father Cheif Alexandre Otama was the personal advicer to the former head of state in my country Sierra Leone in west Africa,he was also the former owner of a shipping company which he sold as a result of the war and deposited the fund for foreign investment .But he was killed along side with my mother during the longing civil war and all his properties was totally destroyed. However, after their death we managed to escape with a very important document (deposit certificate of US$10,500,000) Ten million Five hundred thousand U.S dollars deposited by our late father in a Bank which we are the next of kins.



Meanwhile,I am saddled with the problem of securing a trust worthy foriegn personality to help us transfer the money over to his country and into his possession pending our arrival to meet with him.



Furthermore,you can contact the Bank here in Africa for confirmation and i will issue a letter of Introduction as our Guildian/Trustee,that will enable the Bank to deal with you on our behalf.We are giving you this offers as mentioned with every confidence on your acceptance to assist us or take us as your children and manage the money.I will also be happy if you can come over here in Africa to see us and at the same time handle the transfer process.



Conclusively,i wish you send us a reply as soon as you recieve this proposal for confidential purposes, your urgent reply will be highly appreciated.

Thank you for your co-operation.



Yours sincerely,
Joefrey and Vickey Otama





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