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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: "Fred Johnson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <fredjohnson0001@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 26 Jun 2017 12:47:28 -0700
Subject: Hello

Greetings,
 
  It is with trust and believe that I write to you, although I don't know you neither have I seen you before, but my confidence was reposed On you.
 
I am Barr. Fred Johnson (Esq.), a legal practitioner. My client who was a member board of trustees SPDC London was killed in a fatal accident some years ago. Before his death, I assisted him in the deposit of huge amount of money with a Security Company for safekeeping as he completed a contract with the Ghana GNPC (Ghana National Petroleum Company) .The funds have remained unclaimed since his death, and such unclaimed funds are appropriated and returned to the treasury as a matter of policy. Considering the lack of success in my bid to locate any of his relatives for over a year now, I hereby solicit your consent to enable me present you as the Next of Kin to my deceased client.
 
I guarantee you that this will be Executed under legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law, Also I would be grateful if this mail will be favored with an earlier reply. I urge you to take this message serious and with an open mind, with good faith and trust. Join me and am assuring you now that you will never be disappointed.
 
However, I am giving you 40% of the total amount. Finally, I demand that you keep this transaction confidential till we complete the deal and also confirm that the funds have been transferred into your account.
 
I await your reply,
 
Yours Sincerely
 
Barrister Fred Johnson (Esq.)

Anti-fraud resources: