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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: "MS.BETTY" <msbetty.douglas@yahoo.com.my> (may be fake)
Reply-To: msbettydouglas@YAHOO.COM
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 2009 04:37:21 +0800 (BNT)
Subject: GET BACK IF YOU WILL WANT TO HELP ME OUT

Hello ,

I am William Donald , A 24 years old boy, the only son of The Late
Mr.Samuel Donald of blessed memory, who was a successful Contractor
here before he passed a way seven months ago. After going through your
profile and contact information, i decided to approach you and entrust
you my inheritance as my Trustee/Investment Ad visor. As the only child
of my father before his death he gave me a copy of his Last WILL and
Certificate of Deposit and informed me about the sum of US$14.7Million
only, which he deposited with a financial Institution here in WEST
AFRICA GHANA for safe keeping with my name as Next of kin.
Unfortunately, i lost my Mother when i was five years old and the
second wife of my father (Step-Mother) whom my Father later married did
not born any child for my Late Father and now that my Father is dead
she want to kill me and claim the money which my father Willed to me.
Now i am staying in a friend\'s house with the Last WILL of my father
and the Certificate of Deposit documents given to me by my late father
before his death to enable me claim the deposited funds from the
Financial Institution. But my wicked step-mother want me dead so that
she can inherit the money, that is why i have decided to seek your
assistance, so that i shall transfer the money to you and travel to
your country, where i can invest the money and under your guidance and
advise. Actually, when my father deposited the money with the security
company he declared me as the Next of Kin and i have contacted the
financial institution and indicated my interest to claim and transfer
the funds abroad and they have considered and approved my request. They
assured me that they will release and transfer the funds to any
reliable person i shall present as my Trustee. Now, i would like to
present you as my Investment Manager /Trustee to the Financial
Institution, so that they will transfer the money to you, for you to
secure and invest it for me in your country in any profitable business
you will advise. You will also help me to relocate to your country as
well as assist me to obtain Resident permit in your country . I shall
offer you 25% of the total money as your Commission, if you will assist
in a honest and transparent way, and you shall receive and invest in my
name 70%, while the remaining 5% will be used to take care of any
expenses we might make in the course of the transaction. For the
interest of both of us, i would advise you to handle this transaction
as very private and confidential, because i do not want my step-mother
or her agents monitoring me and the money to discover my plans of
transferring the funds out. Now, If you can assist me to actualize this
plans, please do not hesitate to send me your Contact information
(Address, Telephone and Fax numbers) to my E-mail address
(kwamikofi@ymail.com) immediately you receive this message for final
arrangement and process and we shall sign a Contract Agreement to
protect the interest of both of us and then i shall instruct the bank
to transfer the money to you as my Trustee/ Investment Manager.If these
are ok by you please get back to me now. Thanks for your anticipated
co/operation and assistance. Awaiting your most urgent response and
attention.
Yours Faithfully,
William Donald,
WEST AFRICA GHANA

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