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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: Mrs.Theresa Jonathan. <b-a-r--w-g@att.net>
Reply-To: theresa.jonathan@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 4 Apr 2011 23:08:21 +0800 (CST)
Subject: get in touch with me by my e-mail

Dear Friend, I presume your reading this e-mail will be of revelation to you, and believe me the content herein are truth, although my release of such information to an outsider might be against my official responsibility. There is nothing I can do to help you beside this, which is why I am taking this bold step prior to my belief as a Christian. I am writing you this letter concerning your fund with the Federal Government of Nigeria, know that there are lots of power working against you right from the last C.B.N Governor Prof. Charles C. Soludo and the current Governor Lamido Sanusi with some top officials of certain Commercial Banks here in Nigeria, they have been frustrating people by demanding upfront payment from them constantly without fulfilling what is required of them, should I let you know that they are using the money you sent to them to work against you, you might not believe me but it is the reality. Believe me there is a technique I can employ to assist you get your fund without you paying any charges to get your fund. I have assisted a woman from Brazil with it and it worked out though her fund was U.S$2.5Million. What you have to do is to open another bank account re-transfer the fund to another account immediately you confirmed it in your account. I know why I want it this way. If you want me to go ahead, let me know as soon as you get this e-mail. The transfer can be made within three (3) working days and it might be next six months that they will find out and by then, you have re-transferred the fund into another account. Get back to me as soon as you get this e-mail so that I will be in better position to let you know what to do next. Sincerely, Mrs. Theresa Jonathan.

Anti-fraud resources: