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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: Margarete Brandenburg <margaretebrandenburg@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: margarete7@hotmail.fr
Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2010 11:25:09 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: Hello From Ms.Margarete.


Hello From Ms.Margarete.
 
Good day. Please allow me your little time to tell you about myself and my reason of contacting you because it may look strange receiving this mail from me, after going through your profile I decided to contact you for friendship and assistance, since we don't not know each other and has not met before. For brief introduction ,My name is Ms.Margarete Brandenburg. 23 years old Girl, the only child of late Mr.and Mrs Michael Brandenburg. From Abidjan.Cote D'Ivoire. I'm contacting you to assist me invest and manage my money which I inherited from my late Father (Late Mr.Michael Brandenburg.) My father is now late he was a well known cocoa and gold merchant business man in my country, My father was formally the director of cocoa and gold Mining Cooperation, and because of this position, the ruling party killed my father in collaboration with my uncle.But before the death of my father,He was poisoned to death by his business associates because of his wealth
and during my fathers sickness he called me on his sick bed as her only child because my mother died when am young and told me about the money,He told me about a sum of ($4.7,000,000,000) Four Million Seven Hundred Thousand United State Dollars which he deposited in my name in one of the bank here in my country Cote D'Ivoire. That if he dies I should look for some one whom I trust to help me transfer the money out of this country,to any account for investment purpose abroad while I will continue my education, the person will be managing the investment.
 
My problem all this while was how to step out of home,because my uncle and his groups are searching seriously to kill me too. I have suffered so much pines in the hands of my family member since the death of my late father. My uncle have collected all my late father's property's and House, He just want me out of the way so that He can be able to site on everything. Thank God I have escaped out of home now with the help of God. Presently I am hiding in a hotel, This is why I have decided to contact you seeking your assistance to help me transfer out my money to your country after which I will come over to Live with you, to continue my living and education there in your country. I am willing to offer you 20% of this money for your effort made during this transaction. while the remaining will go into a productive investment. am looking forward to hear from you so that we can discuss on what will be your compensation for your assistace only if you do not
accept my 20% offer for your assistace. I have with me all the legal documents that proof the exitance of the fund with the bank.
 
I will appreciate your urgent response.
Thanks,Yours Sincerely
Ms.Margarete Brandenburg.


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