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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: "SHEHU USMAN" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <shehu.usman12@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 27 Jun 2011 14:58:15 -0700
Subject: ATTENTION FUND TRANSFER

 
Attn : Sir / Madam,
 
I am writing to you base on the recommendation of a friend of mine
working with your embassy in Tripoli Libya.
 
First let me introduce myself. My name is Shehu Usman
 
I am the attorney for the son of Libyan leader Col Mommar Gaddafi.I am
sure you must have heard about the revolution sweeping my country. This
has prompted me to leave the country to another African country which I
will disclose to you in due time. However, I did not tell the man that
gave me the recommendation of what I wanted to do with you.I simply told
him that I need someone I can trust and he said his country men and women
can be trusted.
 
Now to the reason of my writing to you. As a trusted aid and personal
lawyer to the son of the Libyan leader Col Mommar Gaddafi. We have secure
the total of $45 million dollars from access crude oil account, this fund
was pulled out on the heat of this crises rocking Libya. The said fund
was deposited with a security company in a location, ( not Libya) which I
will let you know in due cause.
 
Now it seems the regime of Col Gaddafi is coming to an end and no one
knows what will happen next. Now I have received instruction from my
client Saif Al Islam Gaddafi the second son of Col.Gaddafi to look for a
partner to secure the money from security company.
 
This will enable him have some thing to fall on, if the inevitable happens.
 
We are ready to let you have 30% of the total sum, while I will have 10%
and 60 % will be kept by you for my client or even help in investing for
him pending when things stabilize.
I have all the papers to help us in getting the fund from the security
company.
Please if you are interested in this transaction, urgently respond so
that I can brief you in
details.
 
But if you are not interested, please treat the email as it never come to
you.
 
This is confidential and must not be discussed by the third party or
unauthorized person(s).Please you can me on this E-Mail:shehu.usman12@yahoo.com
 
Looking forward to hearing from you.
 
Regard.
My name is Shehu Usman

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