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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: "jason freeman" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <jasonfreeman76@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2010 02:09:01 -0700
Subject: SHOUT FROM IRAQ

I REGRET ANY INITIAL EMBARRASSMENT MY LETTER MIGHT
CAUSE YOU.I DO NOT INTEND TO INVADE YOUR PRIVACY BY
THIS MAIL,BUT I NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE ON THIS MATTER

I AM CAPTAIN JASON FREEMAN OF THE AMERICA 4TH INFANTRY
DIVISION. DURING OUR COMBINED FORCES
WITH THE IRAQI POLICE, AFTER THE FALL OF BAGHDAD THE
BRUTAL REGIME OF SADDAM HUSSEIN IN IRAQ, IN ONE
OF OUR ROUTINE SEARCH OF SADDAM HUSSEIN'S AIDES IN BAGHDAD,RECENTLY BEFORE AMERICAN FORCES

PULL OUT FROM COMBAT ZONE. SOME OF MY COLLEAGUE AND I FOUND SOME BOXES CONTAINING MILLIONS

OF DOLLARS IN CHEMICAL ALIS VILLA.THE AMOUNT DISCOVERED WAS
SEVEN MILLION TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ($7.2M).

AFTER THE DISCOVERY OF THESE BOXES, MY COLLEAGUE AND I
CAREFULLY REMOVED THE BOXES TO A SAFE LOCATION OF
WHICH WE NOW ARRANGED WITH A SECURITY COURIER FIRM
WHOM NOW HELPED US IN SHIPPING THE BOXES OUT OF IRAQ
FOR SAFE KEEPING.THE CONSIGNMENT IS MARKED
AS FILM AND FILM
MATERIALS OF WHICH I HAVE DOCUMENTS TO THIS EFFECT
SHOWING PROOF OF DEPOSIT.
DUE TO THE CURRENT NATURE OF MY JOB, IT BECOMES QUITE
IMPOSSIBLE FOR MY COLLEAGUE AND I TO CLAIM THIS
MONEY,HENCE, WE SEEK YOUR ASSISTANCE .
I AM THEREFORE ASKING YOU TO PLEASE COME TO OUR AID IN
GETTING THIS MONEY OUT FROM THE SECURITY COURIER FIRM
FOR US, FOR INVESTMENT INTO VARIOUS BUSINESSES.

I AM CONTACTING YOU IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT WE WILL
BE OF GREAT ASSISTANCE TO EACH OTHER.YOU WILL BE
ADEQUATELY COMPENSATED FOR THIS.
I WOULD ADVISE THAT THIS MATTER BE TREATED IN ABSOLUTE
CONFIDENTIALITY.THE UNIT HEAD OF THE IRAQI POLICE ATTACH
TO MY DIVISION IS AWARE OF THIS DEAL.
AND ALSO INCLUDE YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER SO THAT WE CAN AS WELL
SPEAK TO EACH OTHER SO AS TO FACILITATE QUICK EXECUTION OF
THIS TRANSACTION.I AM DOING MY SECOND TOUR IN IRAQ, AND THE IRAQ POLICE
ATTACH TO US, WONT ALL THIS DONE BEFORE WE FINALLY PULL OUT OF IRAQ.
I LOOK FORWARD TO A MUTUAL AND BENEFICIAL
RELATIONSHIP.

REGARDS,
CAPTAIN JASON FREEMAN

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