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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: Mr farid abdul <farid.abdul22@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 5 Oct 2010 12:16:15 +0100 (BST)
Subject: FROM MR.FARID ABDUL.


FROM MR.FARID ABDUL.
MANAGER BILL AND EXHANGE UNIT
BANK OF AFRICA (BOA)
OUAGADOUGOU-BURKINA FASO.
DEAR FRIEND,
 
I AM THE MANAGER BILL AND EXCHANGE DEPARTMENT BANK OF AFRICA (BOA)HERE IN OUAGADOUGOU, BURKINA FASO.
 
IN MY DEPARTMENT WE DISCOVERED AN ABANDONED SUM OF US$3.5M DOLLARS (THREE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS) IN AN ACCOUNT THAT BELONGS TO ONE OF OUR FOREIGN CUSTOMER MR.CHRISTIAN EICH A GERMAN CITIZEN WITH A/C NUMBER10-45600-201001/BOA/M. DIED ALONG WITH HIS ENTIRE FAMILY ON MONDAY, 25 JULY, 2000 IN A PLANE CRASH IN PARIS. PLEASE VISIT THIS SITE AND SEE THE DETAILS OF THE CRASH,
 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm
 
SINCE WE GOT INFORMATION ABOUT HIS DEATH, WE HAVE BEEN EXPECTING HIS NEXT OF KIN TO COME OVER AND CLAIM HIS MONEY BECAUSE WE CANNOT RELEASE IT UNLESS SOMEBODY APPLIES FOR IT AS NEXT OF KIN OR RELATION TO THE DECEASED AS INDICATED IN OUR BANKING GUIDELINES AND LAWS OF BURKINA FASO, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE LEARNT THAT ALL HIS SUPPOSED NEXT OF KIN OR RELATIVES DIED ALONG WITH HIM IN THE PLANE CRASH LEAVING NOBODY BEHIND FOR THE CLAIM.
 
IT IS THEREFORE UPON THIS DISCOVERY THAT I DECIDED TO MAKE THIS BUSINESS PROPOSAL TO YOU AND TO RELEASE THE MONEY TO YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN OR RELATION TO THE DECEASED FOR SAFETY AND SUBSEQUENT DISBURSEMENT SINCE NOBODY IS COMING FOR IT AND WE DON'T WANT THIS MONEY TO GO INTO THE BANK TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED BILL.
 
THE REQUEST OF FOREIGNER AS NEXT OF KIN IN THIS BUSINESS IS OCCASSIONED BY THE FACT THAT THE CUSTOMER WAS A FOREIGNER AND A BURKINABE CANNOT STAND AS NEXT OF KIN TO A FOREIGNER.
 
I AGREE THAT 35% OF THIS MONEY WILL BE FOR YOU AS A RESPECT TO THE PROVISION OF A FOREIGN ACCOUNT, 5% WILL BE SET ASIDE FOR EXPENSES INCURED DURING THE BUSINESS AND 60% WOULD BE FOR ME,THEREAFTER, I WILL VISIT YOUR COUNTRY FOR DISBURSEMENT ACCORDING TO THE PERCENTAGE INDICATED ABOVE.
 
TO ENABLE THE IMMEDIATE TRANSFER OF THIS FUND TO YOUR DESIGNATED BANK ACCOUNT,YOU MUST APPLY FIRST TO THE BANK AS A RELATION OR NEXT OF KIN OF THE DECEASED PERSON WITH A TEXT OF APPLICATION THAT I WILL SEND TO YOU, SO I WILL LIKE YOU TO SEND TO ME YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBER FOR EASY AND EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION AND LOCATION WHERE THE MONEY WILL BE REMITTED.
 
UPON THE RECEIPT OF YOUR REPLY, I WILL SEND YOU THE FULL DETAILS OF THIS BUSSINESS FOR MORE BETTER UNDERSTANDING.
                                       
MR FARID ABDUL.




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