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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: "Mr. Martins Bello" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <martinsbello@outlook.com>
Date: Mon, 30 Oct 2017 15:52:49 -0700
Subject: IMPORTANT INFORMATION YOU NEED

Hello,
My name is Mr.Martins Bello.I was fortunate to be among those auditors sent to Africa by the World Bank for audit.
I came across a huge floating sum of $20M Dollars without any beneficiary with a Nigerian Bank and i have since then, placed this amount on a Non-Investment Account without a beneficiary with UBA under better arrangement.
 
Why i have contacted you is because i found fund claim in your name with an African Bank and i was forced to know why the fund has being there without claim and after my findings, it was due to the manipulations of the payment officials in Africa to frustrate you from being able to succeed in receiving this fund. They are succeeding in doing this by imposing unnecessary fees on you to make it impossible and difficult for you to claim this fund so that they will have their way to have the fund stolen or diverted for their own interest.
I want to let you know that i am ready to help you receive this fund into your account but you have to assure me as follows before i proceed with you.
1- That you will partnership with me so that this fund will be received together with your fund into your account at the same time which finally you have received our funds, you will transfer to my account the $20M and you will retain your own fund.
2-That you will protect my interest in trying to help you receive this fund and you will never disappoint me in any way.
3- That you will not deny me of the share of $20M once the fund is credited into your account.
If you will agree with me,i will do the underground work to see that our funds is successful received into your account without much delay.
I wait to hear from you before i further any more information to you on how to get this realized.
Thanks,
Mr. Martins Bello.

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