joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: "klara adams" <klaraadams05@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: klaraadams2@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Fri, 11 Nov 2005 05:12:57 -0500
Subject: PLEASE HELP ME AND MY ONLY KID

FROM MRS KLARA ADAMS.


PLEASE LET ALL YOUR CORRESPONDENTS BE ON MY PERSONAL EMAIL ADDRESS BELOW.

klara776@eriga.lv


DEAR BELOVED FRIEND

This business proposal to you is strictly confidential, with due respect.
Sorry at this perceived confusion or stress may have receiving this letter
from me, Since we have not known ourselves or met previously. Despite that,
I am constrained to write you this letter because of the urgency of it.By
way of self introduction, I am Mrs.Klara Adams, the wife of late Brigadier -
Gen.Zamani Adams former ECOMOG ARMY COMMANDER [West African peacekeeping
force in Liberia who died in the Liberia civil disturbance [War]. My
daughter and I is trapped in obnoxious custom and traditional norms.

We have suffered maltreatment and untold hardship in
the hands of my late husband's family, simply because
I did not bear a male child [heir apparent] for my
late husband. By tradition, all that my late husband
had, [wealth] belongs to his brothers/family. And
myself is to be remarried by his immediate younger
brother which I vehemently refused. They have taken
all that I suffered with my husband to acquire
including treasures, houses and his bank particular
seized by them. I wanted to escape to your country with my only child on
exile, but again they conspired and stole my international passport and
other traveling document to further frustrate me.

Thank God, two weeks ago, I received Key Text Code
from a Security Company IN LONDON UK that my late husband deposited U.S
$28.5 Million cash with this company. It has therefore, become very
necessary and urgent to contact someone, a foreigner like you to help me
receive/secure these funds overseas in a reliable bank Account (presumably
an empty Bank Account, if available) and to help invest it on our behalf as
well, while we find a way of getting out to meet with you in your country.

These funds are kept on an "OPEN BENEFICIARY MANDATE"
with the Security Company in LONDON UK to avoid detection, seizure or
diversion. I have had several telephone discussions with the Director of
the security company IN LONDON UK, who has express willingness to help me on
meeting the company's demands.

This is why I have contacted you to help save me and my only child to
receive these funds on our behalf. But, you would need to give me sufficient
assurance that if you help me, you would not divert the funds. Me and my
child have resolved to give you 30% of the total sum. For this is all me
and my child have got to live on.

Please, I have reposed my confidence in you and hope
you will not disappoint me. I look forward to your
urgent response, including your full mailling address indicate your private
phone / mobile numbers and also your fax number for easier communication.

NB: The secret codes and the Pin Number for this fund are safely kept with
me which I can give
you as soon as you express desire to help me.

Stay blessed.
MRS KLARA ADAMS


PLEASE LET ALL YOUR CORRESPONDENTS BE ON MY PERSONAL EMAIL ADDRESS BELOW.

klara776@eriga.lv


Anti-fraud resources: