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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: "ANDREAS" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <qandreas@buzonabc.com>
Date: Tue, 17 May 2011 01:03:46 -0700
Subject: MESSAGE FROM QUELLE ANDREAS

Lieber Freund,
 
I know you will be surprise to read my email I got your contact from your Email domain, apart from being surprise you may be skeptical to reply back to me because based on what is going on in the internet world one has to be very careful because a lot of scammer are out there to scam innocent citizen and this has made it very difficult for people to believe anything that comes through the internet but this is a different case.
 
lf you willing to show me your honest and trust i think i will be able to work with you. To make this clear to you i will cover the expense from my side before the consignment leaves to your country.
 
I am Quelle Andreas. An Attorney at law based in Germany, and am a solicitor to Mr Kurt Kahle a German who owned a private business school and also a German property magnate who died in AF4590 crash since 2000 along side with his entire family (with his 37-year-old wife and son Michael).
 
Please log on here to see for your self,
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm
 
I decided to contact you purely on the personal conviction of trust and confidence to assist in distributing the funds left behind by my client. which I helped him to deposit in a leading Finance Company here in Germany before his death but at the time of depositing the money the finance company was not aware that the consignment contain money.
 
Being his attorney here, The finance company has issued me a notice to provide his next of kin or beneficiary, otherwise the consignment would be CONFISCATED since nobody has come forward to lay claims on the consignment since his death.
 
My search for his relative was not successful and My proposition to you is to seek your consent to present you as a relative/next-of-kin and beneficiary of my client.
So that the consignment can be deliver to you and we can share the amount on a mutually agreed-upon percentage.
 
All legal documents to back up your claim as my client's next-of-kin will be provided, All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see this transaction through.
This transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law If this business proposition offends your moral values, do accept my apology.
 
I must use this opportunity to implore you to exercise the utmost indulgence to keep this matter extraordinary confidential, whatever your decision, while I await your prompt response.
Please contact me at once to indicate your interest.
Mit freundlichen Grüßen,
Quelle Andreas.Esq
 
 

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