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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: "Tambo Zambezi" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <tambo_zambezi@superposta.com>
Date: Thu, 24 Jan 2013 02:48:11 -0600
Subject: IMPORTANT MESSAGE.

Dear  Friend.
 
I am Mr Tambo Zambezi Of Bills and Exchange at the foreign remittance department of a commercial here in Lome Togo. I am writing this letter to ask for your support and cooperation to carry out this business opportunity in my department. I discovered an abandoned sum of $17,000,000 (Seventeen million United States dollars only) in a  fixed deposit account that belongs to one of our foreign customer  Who died in November 2006 in a private hospital here in Lome Togo. Since we got information about his death we can not release the money unless somebody applies for it as the next of kin or relation to the deceased. As indicated in our administrative guidelines.
Unfortunately, neither the family members nor the relations have appeared to claim this money.  At this discovery, I decided to do business with you and release the money to you as the next of kin or relation of the deceased for safety and subsequent disbursement since nobody is coming for it and I don't want this money to go into the bank treasury as an unclaimed debt.
 
  The banking law and guidelines of our Bank stipulates that if such money remained unclaimed  for a period of seven (7) years it will be transferred into the bank treasury as unclaimed fund. The need for a foreigner as next of kin in this senses is occasioned by the fact that the customer was a  foreigner and a citizen cannot stand as his  next of kin or heir.
 
I agreed that 30% of the money will be for you as foreign partner; thereafter I will visit your country for disbursement according to the percentage indicated. Therefore to enable the immediate transfer of the fund to you as indicated. You must apply to the bank as relation or next of kin of the deceased.  This is 100% percent legal. As a banker I know this,and this will be a testimony for you and i if you make up your mind,for the claim.
 
If you are interested in this proposal and you are ready to handle this proposal perfectly and with trust, then contact me at once,and we can work out the details, and the issue of your compensation. If you are not interested,and have found this email offensive or you think this is a joke,please do not reply.
 
Kind regards,
Tambo Zambezi
Email: tambo_zambezi@superposta.com

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