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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: "MOHAMMED ISAH" (may be fake)
Date: Wed, 4 Jan 2012 18:27:43 -0800
Subject: IMPORTANT BUSINESS MESSAGE

DEAR SIR/MADAM,

MY NAME IS MOHAMMED ISAH,THE SENIOR BROTHER OF YAKUBU MAFRED ISAH WHO WORKED WITH THE ABACHA FAMILY FOR SO MANY YEARS.
GENERAL SANI ABACHA WAS THE LATE HEAD OF STATE WHO DIED IN OFFICE IN 1998,AND HE WAS BELIEVED TO HAVE LOOTED THE COUNTRY'S MONEY TO HIS PERSONAL USE.SO MY BROTHER WAS WORKING AS A GUARD IN THE EIGHT STORY BUILDING WHERE MOST OF ALL LOOTED MONEY THAT WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE BANK OR BE TRANSFERRED OUT OF THE COUNTRY WAS BEING KEPT.

SO IN AGREEMENT WITH THE PEOPLE COMING THERE TO COLLECT MONEY FOR THE ABACHA FAMILY MY BROTHER MADE ALOT FROM THERE.POLICE HAVE BEEN COMING TO OUR HOUSE TO COLLECT MONEY FROM MY BROTHER,NOW MY BROTHER IS IN POLICE NET WHILE INVESTIGATION IS GOING ON,EARLY IN THE MORNING MORNING BEING 28TH JANUARY 2008,WITH A SOLID ARRANGEMENTS WE SENT OUT TO NEIGHBORING COUNTRY,ACCRA -GHANA AN AMOUNT TOTALING US$10,000,000(TEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS.WE WANT A FOREIGNER TO COME AND HELP US SO THAT WE CAN INVEST THIS MONEY ABROAD,WE AGREE TO COMPENSATE YOU WITH 20% OF THE TOTAL SUM,THERE IS NO HIDDEN AGENDA HERE,THIS IS NOT IS A SCAM OR SOMETHING,IF YOU ARE READY TO HELP,YOU WILL HAVE TO COME TO GHANA.

WE MUST SEE FACE TO FACE FIRST PLEASE.

THIS WEBSITE WILL EXPLAIN HOW MY BROTHER MADE THE MONEY AND HOW HE WAS ARRESTED:

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2008/jan/27/national-27-01-2008-001.htm


GET IN TOUCH WITH ME,

REGARDS,


MOHAMMED ISAH

Anti-fraud resources: