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.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "martin cole" <martcoles800@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: martincole1000@aol.com
Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2007 08:45:41 -0700
Subject: hello assist

Hello,
Please permit me to introduce myself to you. I am Barrister Martin
Cole , a Legal Practitioner in London, United Kingdom. I got your contact
from
the British Council, and I have decided to contact you so that we can carry
out this mutually beneficial business transaction. My late Client Mr.
Harold Wilson, until his death deposited a total of US$15.5M three years ago
with Barclays Bank, London.
He was a Director with Shell Petroleum Development Company, Gabon.
Since I am the personal attorney of Mr. Harold Wilson, he gave me the
custody of the deposit documents, and as such entrusted me with the Legal
Rights to transfer and execute this deposit to any Next of Kin after his
demise. I have since tried to locate any Next of Kin to Harold Wilson
without success, hence I decided to contact you so that you can rightfully
stand as the next of kin to inherit the deposited sum by virtue of the fact
that you will be trustworthy and can provide an offshore account outside the
United Kingdom to receive the deposit.

This is a staggering sum, and I need a reliable person to help me with
necessary arrangements to transfer the deposited sum out of LONDON. By
virtue of my position as an Attorney, I will arrange the documents in your
name so that you can rightly apply as a Next of Kin to Late Harold Wilson in
a capacity of a Family Member. You will be entitled to 40% of the total sum
should you be willing to assist me in this business transaction, and I will
get the remaining 60%. I will prepare a formal agreement to guide us in this
transaction for accountability purpose.
Please forward me the following details:
Your Full Name
Your Mailing Address
Telephone and Fax Number

Please contact me as soon as possible so that we can start processing the
documents.
I look forward to
hearing from you.
Yours truly,
Bar. Martin Cole (Legal Practitioners)
12 Camp shill Road,
West Yorkshire,
United Kingdom.
tel:+44-7005-930-868
fax:+44-7005-930-876
email:martincole1000@aol.com

_________________________________________________________________
i'm making a difference. Make every IM count for the cause of your choice.
Join Now.
http://clk.atdmt.com/MSN/go/msnnkwme0080000001msn/direct/01/?href=http://im.live.com/messenger/im/home/?source=hmtagline


Anti-fraud resources: