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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: "Mr. Larry James" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <larrijames@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 5 Nov 2001 17:27:02 +0800
Subject: Attn: Please,

Attn: Please,
 
 
I write this mail for a business partnership that will benefit both of us but before, I start on the details, I would loved to introduce myself half way to you until I am certainly sure of you as a sincere , capable and trustworthy person who will maintain a secrete and protect interest of his partner.
 
 
I got into your contact by the time I noticed that you would be good for the execution of this deal that involved a very huge some of money during our auditing.
My name is Mr. Larry James, an official with African Development Bank and the chairman of the United Nation delegates sent to African on the issue of money Laundering, Scam, and Bank Fraud with African Government depending on various foreign individual reports against African Banks. This Twenty-man committee was appointed after the meeting held by the United Nation, World Bank, African Union and International Monetary Fund (IMF).
 
 
However, our assignment is to audit every African Bank foreign reserve accounts to know how much they have and to know why they have refused to pay their foreign depts. such as contracts and inheritance fund which is the most reason why we are appointed for this job depending on the foreign individual petitions and reports against African Government towards delay and hitches on their contract and inheritance funds payment after much efforts.
In fact, so far, with the information gathered, Africa is so rich and they have enough funds to pay up their bills and still remain very rich but as we are studding some foreign payment files/ data's, their claims are not genuine since they have not good source of origin and legal backings to enhance the successful payment , and whence such is discovered, the Government bodies will withhold the fund until good clarification are achieved finally either transferred or directed to Government treasuries.
 
 
In some African states, such as Nigeria, they have excess money and with bad and greedy leaders, they do not know how to utilize their fund for their masses which has made every of their top Government officials to selfishly siphon Government funds in their position for their own interest instead of investing it for the development of their nation.
 
 
In this race, we were able to notice that their law rules against any civil servant to run a foreign accounts and a limit of certain amount is allowed to be seen in their local accounts. In these reasons, they will have no other choice than to engage themselves with foreign partners to assist them move illegal funds abroad for their benefits and some of the files in our position now are such and we have recovered much funds as a result and have deposited them in our reserved account.
 
 
Meanwhile, I have directly contacted you because I was able to see a record of funds claim in your name on the central computer data base and I know that the fund dose not really belong to you but if you will agree to receive the total sum of $30M for our mutual benefits into your account, I will approve and arrange for the immediate release of this fund in your favor as the true beneficiary.
 
 
Finally, once you have received this fund, you will have your $10M and you will give me $20M. Let me know if you agreed with this deal or not.
Note: This must be kept secrete and confidential whether you are interested or not.
 
Thanks,
Mr. Larry James.

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