joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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: brian scott <brianscott147@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 27 Apr 2015 15:13:24 -0700
Subject: URGENT

My name is Richard Parkinson. I am a banker here in South Africa. I got
your contact from the online data base as I
was surfing the internet. I need your help to transfer the sum of
US$7,530,000.00 into your account
as my foreign investment partner. The money is part of the profits made by
our bank last year (i.e.
2014) in the branch which I am the manager. I have already submitted annual
report for last year to
my bank head quarters in South Africa, and they did not notice the excess
profits. I deposited the sum
of US$7,530,000.00 in an escrow account without a beneficiary (Anonymous),
to avoid any trace. I
cannot be directly connected to this fund because I'm still working with
the bank. So, I need your help
to transfer this money to your country for you and I to share. I have the
desire to invest my own share
of the money in any good business venture over there in your Country maybe
real estate business. I wish to point out 10% of this
money to be shared among the charity organization, the remaining 90%, you
have 40% of this money
as my foreign partner and 50% would be for me. There is no risk involved
because it will be a bank to bank
transfer. All I need from you is your full co-operation to make this
transaction work and stand as
my foreign partner and owner of the money to enable you present a foreign
bank account where the
money will be transferred to. With my position now in the office I can
transfer this money to any
reliable foreign account, with assurance that this money will be intact
pending my physical arrival in
your country for sharing. All documents regarding this transaction will be
destroyed once I receive
confirmation of the money in your account thus leaving no trace to
anything. The intended
transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will
protect you and me from any
breach of the law.
Kindly get back to me with your interest for further explanations and
clarifications.
I am looking forward to receive your immediate reply. Thank you and God
bless you.
Sincerely,
Mr. Richard Parkinson
(tredswhayat@yahoo.com)

Anti-fraud resources: