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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: Ahmed Dawoud <jordan@vox.com.py>
Reply-To: adawoud36@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 24 Nov 2014 09:10:10 -0000
Subject: FROM AHMED, PLEASE HELP ME



--
Dear Friend,

I am Ahmed (male, 26yrs old) a native of Egypt. I lost my parents and sisters
with our family assets/house during the war in Libya. I am alive writing you
now from Cote D\'ivoire where other lucky victims and I who escaped alive from
the rebel attack are like refugees. No house, no good food, no job. I am just
getting assistance from well-meaning individuals and a couple of Ivoirians who
came back from Libya too. Before my father\'s sudden death, he deposited a
consignment labeled as PERSONAL EFFECTS CONTAINING FAMILY VALUABLE but
concealed in it is the sum of US$11,000,000.00 (Eleven Million US Dollars) in
cash with a Diplomatic Courier Company in Libya but the consignment was
later moved to their affiliate office Overseas, for safety of the consignment
(funds), via diplomatic means. He intended to use the funds for Politics.
While my father was alive he explained to me that he had such fund and had to
keep it in a security company abroad due to the unstable polity in Libya then
and considering that he is a politician, he would not want the Government to
seize the money if deposited into the banks in Libya. Now that he is late and
am the only surviving son, I am writing you to assist me receive this
consignment in your country, invest it in a profitable business and help
relocate me to join you immediately. As a result of insecurity of life and
property here, I do not want to stay in Africa any longer. You have my
permission/authority to collect 30% of the funds on receiving it as your
reward, for your timely assistance. Please indicate your readiness to assist
me immediately so that all the information about this fund will be passed to
you immediately. Send to me immediately the following information:
1. Your full legal names including contact address and mobile number.
2. Date of birth, occupation, sex, marital status and identification copy for
documentation purposes.

As soon as I receive your reply mail I shall forward your information to the
Security/Finance firm overseas to contact you for the delivery of the
consignment to you as my proxy. Thereafter you shall help me relocate to your
country, as I am sick and tired of the unrest in Africa. I shall send you the
Power of Attorney to present to the Diplomatic Courier Firm as we proceed, as
demanded by them. With the help of sympathizer I was able to secure a cell
phone, which is very important for me at this stage to enable me transact this
important business for which I am contacting you. Please help me and reply me
immediately you receive this mail via my email: adawoud19@ymail.com

Your friend in need,
Ahmed Dawoud
Email: adawoud19@ymail.com


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