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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: "Latifat Ghanem" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <gahnemlatifat@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 22 Nov 2013 01:22:32 -0000
Subject: From Miss Latifat Ghanem

Dearest One.

However strange or surprising this contact might seem to you as we have not met personally or had any dealings in the past. I must apologize for intruding into your private email address, but I humbly ask that you take due consideration of its importance and immense benefit it will be to you.

Briefly, I am a Libyan National and the Daughter of late Shukri Ghanem. Until his death, my Father was the General overseer of the petroleum under Col Muammar Gaddafi government. After his death I hurried gathered some valuables documents in our family villa and escaped for my dear life to where I am now.

Among the valuable was a file that contained details of a deposit my father made in a security company in the country where I am now. He deposited ($10.250 million US dollars) contained in a trunk box in my name as the next of kin. As containing family valuables money he made from service when he was alive, now that I am in the country and verified the transaction, i need your assistance to move these funds out of country for investment in your country as. i ask you to scout for a viable and lucrative business, so that i can invest wisely. i have it in mind to give you 15% of the total sum( 10.250 million US Dollars ) and 15% share in any investment i will embark upon if you assist me. i will also set aside 5% of the funds for ancillary expenses which you will make in course of this transaction –fax messages, phone calls, etc.
This fortune i have revealed to you should remain confidential as it only you who we have told about it. I futher you full details when I hear from you.

Note that this transaction is risk free.

Best regards
Miss Latifat Ghanem

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