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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: MARIEMA ABDULLAH <mariema.abdullah@btinternet.com>
Reply-To: mariema2010@live.fr
Date: Tue, 18 May 2010 13:25:25 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: Hello Dear.


Hello Dear.
Please kindly permit me to quickly introduce myself to you  in this  very regards,I write to intimate you of a matter that requires an urgent attention. But briefly, I am Madam Mariam A. Abdullah, Devoted Muslim a widow,and a wife of late Dr Ahmed Abdullah he was the chairman/CEO of the Sierra-Leone national Gold & Diamond Mining Corporation. It is my pleasure communicating with you for the first time and believe that it will lead to a better relationship between us. I hope you will not impede the trust and confidence I repose in you.

After some  months in the military detention camp my Husband was  announced dead by the government special press release. Though I do not know to what extent you are familiar with the event and crisis in my country Sierra-Leone during the war, however during the disturbance and prior to my Husband's death he gave me all the documents for the secret deposit he made in a private bank account Abroad where the fund has been deposited and I am willing to forward to you the contact details of the bank and the manager incharge  as well as,all other information regarding this deposit for you to kindly confirm and made all the arrangement toward getting it duelly transfered into your private bank account where you are going to invest for me and my only son.
 
The deposit is Euro (€ 10.5 ) Ten Million Five Hundred Thousand Euro, he made the bank to know that the fund in question for the purchase  of mechinery investment that was meant for the production of Gold and Diamond. However I am now in  contact with the bank abroad over this transfer and this is while I am pleading with you to assist me in making this transfer a succes.I will be asking for your private bank account information, your private telephone and fax number and a copy of your national Identity, what ever other information the bank might need you will hear directly from the Bank. I am willing to offer you 30% of the total sum while 5% will be for any expenses, Please give attention to this email and response immediately.I promised to send you all the Documents that was issued to my late husband about this deposit and also my Private Contacts and Pictures.
God  Bless you and your family.
Sincerely,
Mariema Abdullah

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