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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: "Richard" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <richmatt200@blumail.org>
Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2015 03:11:53 +0200
Subject: WRITE ME BACK (VERY URGENT)

Hello

Please forgive me if this business proposition offends your moral values, I am Richard Martin personnel for diplomatic missions New York, America. During Libya war a convoy from my office with me included were sent to Libya to secure the interests and assets of American's, In the course of this mission my team and i brought several war victims to America as refugees, we conveyed valuable properties of foreigners to America hoping we would come back to transport them out of Libya.

The war became more intense than anticipated so we were ordered not to return, After three years we conducted an inspect exercise to return all unclaimed belongings to their owner since most of the refugees have returned. During this inspection i discovered a box registered as family item under our care actually contains 7 million United States Dollars.

I was sent to deliver the box to the address written on the deposit file only to discover that the owner and her entire family died in the war but do not want to inform my company because if i do, they will confiscate the money as unclaimed assets and share it among our superiors.

knowing they cease the money I'm seeking your co-operation to present you as the beneficiary since you share similar name with the owner, inside arrangements has been made to make my company give you the Box and if you agree, You will retain 40% of the funds while 60% shall be for me. Kindly contact me privately through my email rchmat1@gmail.com for more details.

Sincerely,

Richard Martin.

Anti-fraud resources: