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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: "Mr.Sodiq Abacha" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <alhaji.sodiq.abacha@sociologist.com>
Date: Tue, 10 May 2016 18:43:17 +0100
Subject: Dear Family Friend,

Dear Family Friend,

How are you and your family? My name is Mr, Sodiq Abacha, the second son of Mrs. Mariam Abacha, this is to let you know that my mother is late . We are keeping it secret and we don't want any one to hear about this. Before she died in Badard Hospital in Victoria Island, she told me that she had a transaction of $800,000.00( Eight Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) with you which was deposited in United Bank for Africa {UBA} , and this money has to be transferred/ release to you before her burial and this is the instruction she left. You are instructed to confirm your direct contact details stated

below:

Name:----------------------------------------------
Address:-------------------------------------------
Sex:------------------------------------------------.
Age:------------------------------------------------
Occupation:---------------------------------------
Phone number:----------------------------------
Country:-------------------------------------------
Nationality:---------------------------------------


we don't want any delay by you, because all arrangement has being perfected by Mr. Lami Bello of the United Bank for Africa UBA Director of Int'l Remittance and the funds has to be paid to you by ATM

CARD or A Certified Int'l Bank Draft. The Bank contact will be given to you as soon as I receive your information.

Regards,

Mr.Sodiq Abacha.

Anti-fraud resources: