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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. Nelson M" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <nelsonmaketa001@qq.com>
Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 16:43:38 +0200
Subject: T O P S E C R E T

T O P   S E C R E T
 
 
I   a m   Mr  N e l s o n     M a k e t a   a   j u n i o r   s t a f f   a t   t h e   U N   l i a i s o n  o  f  f i  c e   h e r e   i n   S / A f r i c a   a n d   w h i l e   g o i n g   t h r o u g h   s o m e   o f   t h e   f i l e s   i n   m y   o   f   f   i   c   e ,   I   d i s c o v e r e d   t h a t   s o m e   f o r e i g n e r s   a r e   b e i n g   u s e d   a n d   d u  m p e d   b y   s o m e   o f   o u r   s u p e r i o r  D i r e c t  o r s,  B a n k s  E x e c u t i v e s  a n d  t
 
I  f o u n d   o u t   t h a t   y o u  r  f u  n  d   h a s   l o n g   b e e n  a p p r o v e d  to  be   r e l e a s  e d to  y o u   b u t  t h e   g r e e d   w h i c  h   e x i s t  i n    t  h e    l  i v e s   o f   t h e   s  e n i o r   w o r k e r  s    w i  l l    n e v e  r   a l l o w   t h e m   t o   l e t   y o u  h a v e   y o u r   l o t t e r y  /  i n h e r i t a n c e p a y m e n t.
 
 
m e n t of $ 17, 9 0 0, 0 0 0. 0 0 <    S  e v e n t e e n   M i l l i  o  n    N i n e    H u  n d  r   e  d    T  h o  u  s a  n  d   U n i t e d   S t a t e s  D o  l   l a r s> only was approved to be paid to you but this money has not yet been paid out to your a c c o u n t. I have found out that these top officials are using your money to trade at the International Market buying stocks and making interest while delaying your p a y m e n t.  T h  e s e     o f f i c i a l s   u s e    d e l a y   t a c t i c s   t o   h o l d   o n    t o   y o u r   p   a   y   m   e   n   t   w h i  l e    t h e y  
 
 
This p a y m e n t is as a result of l o t t e r y / i n h e r i t a n c e which is due to you. In my further search I found out that some of the Beneficiaries are not even aware of this p a y m e n t. They don't even know that such p a y m e n ts exist for them. I am contacting you secretly believing that you will keep this as t o p s e c r e t. I want to work with you to move these funds to your a c c o u n t within 72 hours if only you can accept to work with me.
 
 
Believe me, if you work with these b a n k E x e c u t i v e s, the UN o f f i c e and the G o v e r n m e n t o f f i c i a l s ., all they will keep doing will be to delay the transfer while they make more profit with your p a y m e n t. I have worked out modalities on how this transfer will be effected to your a c c o u n t immediately for you to start enjoying your benefits.
 
 
Please one thing I must ask of you is to keep this secret until we get the transfer made to your a c c o u n t. If you will not be able to handle the secret part of this,please let me know and I will never contact you again because what I want is to see that justice is done and your money is released to you. This p a y m e n t is in your name and belongs to you so you should have it.
 
present your current phone number and address so that the process of re approving the funds to your name for immediate transfer seventy two hours.
 
Yours,
Mr. Nelson M

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