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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: RITA RITA <rita.rita2@btinternet.com>
Reply-To: ritalinus01@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Thu, 13 May 2010 17:50:03 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: hi




Dear Sir/Madam,

My name is Ms. Queen Rita Linus, the daughter to the late Mr.Maswell Turia Linus SNR of Zimbabwe . This might come as a surprise to you about where and how I got your contact address. It was a result of a trusted confident from the Africa Chamber of commerce and industries.During the current war against the farmers in Zimbabwe, from the supporters of our president Mr. Robert Mugabe, to claim all the white owned farms to his party members and followers. He ordered all white farmers to surrender all farm to his party members and followers.
My father was one of the very best farmers in the country and was in partnership with a white Man Mr.Lawrence Smith from England. He did not support Mr. Mugabe's ideas so his farm was burnt and invaded by Mugabe's supporters. Everything was burnt in which my father and his partner were killed during the invasion and they made away with lots of items. Before his death my Father has deposited with one Security Company in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. The sum of US$10,500,000.00(Ten Million,five hundred thasound United States Dollars) this money was meant for the purchase of some farming equipments and materials from a Company here in South Africa and Cote d'Ivoire.

After his death we decided to escape to Cote D Ivoire where he has deposited this sum with the security company as valuables (in a treasure box). I decided to contact the foreigner, from outside the shores of Africa or Companies that will assist my family to move the fund from here, because of our present status as asylum seekers and also because Cote D Ivoire and Zimbabwe have a bilateral agreement which can lead to the seizure of the fund, if we invest here in Cote D Ivoire. Secondly our status has made it impossible to invest the fund or deal directly with the Africa financial institutions. In the cause of moving the fund to any place my family has agreed to offer you 25% of the fund for your assistant, and 70% will be for mime to investment in your country, while the remaining 5% will be for you as a compensation for all other expenses.All I want you to do is to furnish me with your entire details for easy communication (fax and telephone numbers)
you can contact me through my email address.Please note that this transaction is 100% risk free and absolute confidentiality is required for the safety of my family and the fund. Should you be interested please send me your;
1. Full names,
2. private phone number,
3. current residential address
Note that your reply must be sent to ritalinus01@yahoo.co.jp

Thanks and God Bless
Ms. Queen R. Linus

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