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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.James Kumalo" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <jameskumalo100@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Wed, 26 Oct 2011 18:24:31 +0200
Subject: URGENT APPEAL FOR ASSISTANCE

Mr.James Kumalo

#166 MITCHEL'S PLAIN STREET,

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA.

Email: jameskumalo100@yahoo.com.hk

Dear Sir/Madam

I know that you will be surprised to receive a letter from me but

consider this as a request from a family in dares need of your assistance.

First, I must introduce myself , I am James Kumalo from Angola. I am the only son of the late Brigadier PAUL KUMALO. I am presently residing in South Africa got your contact from the South African Information Exchange (SAIE) here in Johannesburg and on behalf of my widowed mother, Mrs. PHILOMINA KUMALO. I decided to solicit for your assistance to transfer the sum of US$32.5 Million (Thirty Two Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) inherited from my late father into your personal/company account. Before my father's death, he was a brigadier in charge of arms and ammunition puncher for the Angola armed forces.

In his "WILL", he specifically drew my attention to this sum of US$32.5

Million (Thirty Two Million ,Five Hundred Thousand United States

Dollars) which he deposited in a safe box of a private Security Company in South Africa. In fact, my father said in his will and I quote, "My beloved son, I wish to draw your attention to the sum ofUS$32.5 Million(Thirty Two Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) which I deposited in a box of a private Security Company here in Johannesburg. In case of my absence from earth caused by death only, you should solicit for a foreign partner to transfer this money out of South

Africa for investment purpose.

I deposited the money in your name and it can be claimed by you alone

with the deposit code. Your mother has all the documents. Take good care of

your mother and two sisters". We are now living in South Africa as

political asylum seekers and the financial laws of South Africa do not allow asylum seekers certain financial rights to such huge amounts of money.

In view of this, I cannot invest this money in South Africa hence I am

asking you to assist me to transfer this money out of South Africa for

investment purposes. For your efforts, I am willing to give you 25% of

the total fund, while 5% will be set aside for local and international

expenses and 70% will be kept for my family and me. Finally, all

modalities on how to transfer this fund will be conveyed to you once we have established trust between ourselves. I urge you to expedite action on this issue and sincerely hope that your co-operation abilities will see us through.

Best regards,Mr. James Kumalo

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