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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 Mohammed Ghanem" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <moganem_libya@yahoo.com.ph>
Date: Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:13:48 +0200
Subject: Waiting For Your Call

Dear Sir
 
With due respect, My name is Mohammed Ghanem a citizen of Libya. I am 21 years old  and  presently in Benin with  my two younger sisters after the death of my parents during the Libyan Civil War.
 
My late father Dr. Ahmed Ghanem was a member of Libya's National Oil Corporation until he died on 18th of July, 2011. Before his painful death at Benghazi hospital, he told my mother that he deposited a safe-box containing the sum of $15,500,000.00 United State Dollars in a Financial Security Company in Europe and he handed over all the documents of the deposit to his financial legal adviser who is residing in London.
 
I decided to open up this issue with you because when we contacted my late father’s legal adviser in Spain he gave us guarantee that he has every legal power to apply for the claim but it will be more free and security save to look for a foreigner with different name to be present as the beneficiary of the deposited safe box so that it will be easy to process and release as foreign property.
 
We have hope and trust to contact you because we need your honest support to receive this fund from the Financial Security Company in Europe as all our dreams is to invest this fund in your country with your help and directives while we continue with our education. You have nothing to worry about the success of this claim as all the documents to process your name are already with the legal adviser of my later father. All we need to introduce you to the legal adviser in London is only your full information as listed below;
 
1. Your full name:
2. Your address:
3. Telephone number:
4. Occupation:
5. Age:
 
I will also forward the contact address of my late father’s legal adviser to you so that you will have free open communication with him, kindly respond as soon as possible as we are anxiously waiting to hear from you with good result of future hope.
 
Thank you for your help.
 
Best Regards,
Mr. Mohammed Ghanem.

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