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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: "mrali mrali_ayama2" <mrali_ayama02@klikni.cz>
Date: Sun, 25 May 2008 09:59:47 +0200
Subject: from mr ali ayama


FROM MR ALI AYAMA
AFRICA DEVELOPMENT BANK (ADB)
OUAGADOUGOU-BURKINA FASO.

MY DEAR,
THIS MESSAGE MIGHT MEET YOU IN UTMOST SURPRISE. HOWEVER,IT'S JUST MY
URGENT NEED FOR FOREIGN PARTNER THAT MADE ME TO CONTACT YOU FOR THIS
TRANSACTION. I GOT YOUR CONTACT FROM YAHOO TOURIST SEARCH WHILE I WAS
SEARCHING FOR A FOREIGN PARTNER. I ASSURED OF YOUR CAPABILITY AND
RELIABILITY TO CHAMPION THIS BUSINEES OPPORTUNITY WHEN I PRAYED TO GOD OR
ALLAH ABOUT YOU.

I AM A BANKER BY PROFESSION FROM BURKINA-FASO IN WEST AFRICA AND CURRENTLY
HOLDING THE POST OF ASSISTANT FOREIGN REMITTANCE DIRECTOR IN OUR BANK. I
HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OF TRANSFERRING THE LEFT OVER FUNDS ($22.5 MILLION
DOLLARS) OF ONE OF MY BANK CLIENTS WHO DIED ALONG WITH HIS ENTIRE FAMILY ON
31 JULY 2000 IN A PLANE CRASH.

YOU CAN CONFIRM THE GENUINE OF THE DECEASED DEATH BY CLICKING ON THIS WEB
SITE http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/859479.stm

HENCE, I AM INVITING YOU FOR A BUSINESS DEAL WHERE THIS MONEY CAN BE
SHARED BETWEEN US IN THE RATIO OF 60/40 IF YOU AGREE TO MY BUSINESS
PROPOSAL. FURTHER DETAILS OF THE TRANSFER WILL BE FORWARDED TO YOU AS SOON
AS I RECEIVE YOUR RETURN MAIL IMMEDIATELY AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS
LETTER.

TRUSTING TO HEAR FROM YOU IMMEDIATELY.
HAVE A GREAT DAY.

YOURS,

MR ALI AYAMA

Anti-fraud resources: