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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.

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

Fraud email example:

From: "maxwell" <max1@megamail.pt>
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:53:08 -0000 (WET)
Subject: From Benjamin Mataruse Maxwell. Address/Rue 159 BP Riviri 01
Iviory coast. Dear Sir ,
It is indeed my pleasure to write to you this letter,
which I believe will be a suprise,
as we are both complete strangers. I am Benjamin Mataruse Maxwell
25yrs old from Republic of Zimbabwe. I am contacting you to seek
for your hunble assistance ,
based on the money left in the bank by my late father whom death
accured on the 27th May 2008. Before he died ,






>From Benjamin Mataruse Maxwell.

Address/Rue 159 BP Riviri 01

Iviory coast.

Dear Sir ,

It is indeed my pleasure to write to you this letter, which I believe will be
a suprise, as we are both complete strangers.

I am Benjamin Mataruse Maxwell 25yrs old from Republic of Zimbabwe.

I am contacting you to seek for your hunble assistance , based on the money
left in the bank by my late father whom death accured on the 27th May 2008.

Before he died , he secretly called me on his sick bed and told me of this
money USD$9.M dollars ( Nine million United state dollars) which he left in
the bank here in ABIDJAN- Cote D'Ivoire.

It might interest you to know that this transaction is highly confidential for
both of us, all the transfer formalities has been arranged.

We have decided to give you 10% of the total sum if you are able to assist us
on the areas of investment in your country , as we have practical reasons for
not investing in Abidjan.

This money has secretly been deposited in a FIXED DEPOSIT BANK ACCOUNT where
it can easily be transfer to a recommended bank account.

For more details , kindly contact us through the above Email ,
maxwell53@cantv.net

We look forward to hear from you in good faith.

Thanks and God Bless.

Benjamin M. Maxwell.





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