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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: rita johnson <rita_11_joh@yahoo.fr>
Date: Wed, 3 May 2006 21:14:07 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: FROM:RITA JOHNSON


FROM:RITA JOHNSON
COUNTRY: ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST

EMAIL ADDRESS,rita_11_joh@yahoo.fr=20

=20
I GOT YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION THROUGH WHEN I WAS SEACHING FOR FOR HELP=
AND I DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU, HOPING THAT BY ALMIGHTY GODS GRACE YOU WI=
LL SUCCESSFULLY ASSIST ME OUT FROM MY SITUATION, AFTER MY SEVEN GOOD DAYS=
PRAYERS AND FASTING OVER SEEKING FOR AN OVERSEES GUARDANCE .
=20
I AM Miss RITA JOHNSON (22 YEARS OLD) THE ONLY DAUGHTER OF LATE CHIEF J=
OSEPH JOHNSON WHO WAS A FAMOUS AND WEALTHY COCOA MERCHANT BASED IN ABIDJA=
N HERE,THE ECONOMIC CAPITAL OF IVORY COAST BEFORE WAS POISONED TO DEATH B=
Y HIS BUSINESS ASSOCIATE.=20
I AM SEEKING FOR YOUR URGENT ATTENTION TO HELP ME TRANSFER THE SUM OF (=
US$8,500,000.00 )EIGTH MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATE OF AMER=
ICAN DOLLARS INTO YOUR NOMINATED BANK ACCOUNT OVERSEAS FOR AN INVESTMENTS=
PURPOSES,SUCH AS REAL ESTATES MANAGEMENTS AND STOCK MARKETS.
=20
PLEASE DEAR ,=20
I AM WILLING TO OFFER YOU 20% OF THIS MY TOTAL FUND AS YOUR COMMISSION=
FOR YOUR URGENT ASSISTANCE TO ME. PLEASE KINDLY MAIL ME IMMEDIATELY YOU=
RECEIVE THIS MY LETTER FOR MORE IMPORTANT DETAILS CONCERNING THIS=20
MY MUTUAL TRANSACTION.=20
=20
YOURS SINCERELY,
RITA JOHNSON
NOTE: I HAVE ALL THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS IN RELATION TO THIS MY FUND DE=
POSITED BY MY LATE FATHER IN THE BANK. PLEASE QUICKLY AND KINDLY REPLY=
ME ON THIS MY PRIVATE=20
EMAIL ADDRESS,
rita_johnson011@yahoo.com

FOR CONFIDENTIAL AND SECURITY REASONS SO THAT I CAN MAIL YOU MY PHOTOS O=
K.=20
=20
THANKS AND GOD BLESS.

=09
---------------------------------
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=09
---------------------------------
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Anti-fraud resources: