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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: Frank James <frankj6212@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2010 23:26:05 +0100
Subject: HELLO

*Attention,*

* *

*I am barrister Frank James, the Legal Adviser and counsel to Late Mr. Pitt
Malik, an expatriate contractor who used to work in the United Kingdom.
Thereafter, shall be referred as my late client. my client and his entire
family traveled to Cotonou to visit family members and from their to travel
to Greece for Holiday but unfortunately On December 26th 2003, my client and
his entire family died in a plane crash in Cotonou, Benin Republic on board
a plane traveling to Greece. *

* *

*He was a well-known philanthropist before he died. He made a Will stating
that Ten Million US Dollars (US$10M should be donated to any Philanthropist
of our choice overseas. We have made a random draw where your name and
e-mail address was picked as the beneficiary. I am particularly interested
in securing this money from the Finance Company, because they have issued a
notice instructing us to produce the beneficiary of this fund within two
weeks or else the money will be Confiscated and credited to the treasury as
per law* h*ere. It is my utmost desire to execute the Will of our late
client in your favor and therefore, you are required to contact me
immediately to start the process of sending this money to any or your
designated official bank account.*

* *

*I urgently request you to contact me immediately for further details
bearing in mind that the Bank has given us a date limit. I await your
urgent response to my private Email: fennersc@yahoo.com for us to proceed*

* *

*Frank James *

*Attorney at Law*

Anti-fraud resources: