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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: <Edward Smith>atedwardsmithp1@gmail.com
Reply-To: edwardsmith9088@gmail.com
Date: 03 Sep 2016 11:45:13 +0000
Subject:

MANAGING PARTNER
Edward Smith & Solicitors
Plot 3A/5 Zik Avenue Ikoyi.
Lagos-Nige ria.
Email: edwardsmit h9088@gmail.com


I am Edward Smith a solicitor at law. I am the personal attorney to an expatriate  and a consultant  with an American Oil company who used to work with Shell - developmen t company in Nigeria. Herein after shall be referred to as my client.

On the 21st of April 2014, my client, his wife and their three children were involved in a car accident. All occupants of the vehicle unfortunat ely lost their lives. Since then I have made several enquiries to the embassy to locate any of my clients extended relatives.

After these several unsuccessf ul attempts, I decided to contact you.I have contacted you to assist in repatriati ng the money left behind by my client before they get confiscate d or declared un-service able by the bank where this huge deposits were lodged. the Bank where the deceased had an account valued at about USD$24.5Mi llion dollars has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin to my late client or have the account confiscate d.

Since I have been unsuccessf ul in locating the relatives for over a year now, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin to my late client and the inheritor of the fund so that the proceeds of this account valued at USD24.5Mil lion dollars can be paid to you and then you and I can share the money.

I have all necessary legal documents that can be used to back up this inheritanc e claim and I will send them to you. All I require is your honest cooperatio n to enable us see this inheritanc e claim through.

I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate  arrangemen t that will protect you from any breach of the law.

If you are interested  in working with me in this deal,kindl y reply strictly to my personal email with your personal telephone/ fax number for effective communicat ion and oral clarificat ion on how to proceed next.

Thanking you in anticipati on for your favorable response.

Sincerely yours,
Barrister Edward Smith.

Anti-fraud resources: