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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: Billy Rogers <nadiauruaku26@laposte.net>
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2014 15:11:36 +0000
Subject: Good news

Dear friend,

With due respect, I crave your indulgence as I contacted you in such a
surprising manner, but I respectfully insist that you read this
message carefully because this particular letter is of exceptional and
very private nature. There is absolutely going to be a great doubt and
distrust in your heart in respect of this email, coupled with the fact
that so many hackers have taken over the Internet to facilitate their
nefarious deeds, thereby making it extremely difficult for genuine
people to get attention and recognition. There is no way for me to
know if you will understand me properly, but it is my duty to write
and reach you. In a brief introduction, my name is Billy Rogers and I
am a legal practitioner from West Africa. I have information about
your relative who died in an automobile accident in my country with
his wife and their only daughter many years ago, leaving behind his
properties and the total sum of EURO 8.5 million Euros in the bank in my
country without any heir. I am his personal attorney and I am in
search of his relatives, so that I can help in processing the release
of his money in the bank before it gets confiscated by the government.
I am contacting you because you share the same surname with my
deceased client. Although you may not know my deceased client in
person, but he is a citizen of your country.

As his personal attorney and confidant, it is my duty to ensure that
this money gets to the surviving relative. When my client was still
alive, he gave me the legal power as his attorney to act on his behalf
and handle all the affairs relating to his businesses due to his sick
health. Therefore, I have the necessary information and documents that
will facilitate the release of the money in the bank to your family as
soon as I confirm your relationship with my deceased client.

However, I will explain more as soon as I hear from you indicating
your interest in this matter. In my next message I will send you the
last notification letter which I received from the bank asking me to
provide the contact details of the person who is entitled to the
estate of my late client.

Please get back to me as soon as you read this message.


Billy Rogers

Anti-fraud resources: