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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: "John Micheal" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <jefferylucas896@yahoo.de>
Date: Sat, 17 Aug 2013 13:11:27 -0700
Subject: THIS IS FOR YOUR OWN GOOD (CAREFULLY READ IT AND GET BACK TO US)

Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG)
Msese Road Plot 96, Kinondoni,
Dar es Salaam - United Republic of Tanzania
 
Attention Beneficiary,
Compliments of the day to you. May I humbly request for your opinion regarding the cancellation plans of your inheritance payment of 15.5musd. What is the rationale behind your decision to abandon your funds? on behalf of the Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG) who prompted this inquiry, I wish to categorically exonerate this office from any blame if this fund is cancelled as by Friday as already planned by the Board of Payment. We were informed by United Bank of Africa (UBA) that you stop communicate with them.
Listen your silence may create a very dangerous situation in your payment file. As at yesterday, we still received information note from (UNITED BANK OF AFRICA) that someone sent them an email from JAPAN demanding for a change of Bank Account in your payment. Now our question is,
 
Did you authorize anyone for such change? . Were you deliberately trying to cause problems? With due respect to our security ethics, please be warned  against your continued communications with some bank officials that are under our security survellence. You have the dignity of your well respected family to protect, and you might jeopardize that if you continue with such communications with people whose transparency in our banking industry is under the suvellance of the international monetary funds.
Our concern is to continue to protect the interest of all American investors in the entire Africa enclave. Now crime investigator unit in your country denied the purpoted letter sent to you. During our web interation with them, it became clear that the so called letter was forged to extort money from you to sponsor the diversion of your inheritance fund to JAPAN.  Your stand on this issue is being urgently awaited before 48 hours.
Best Regard,
Dr. James Jerry
Office Reconcilation Dept (ESAAMLG)

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