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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: "Patrick B. Zacko" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <patbzacko@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2010 13:00:50 +0100
Subject: PLEASE REPLY IF IT APPEALS TO YOU

Dear Sir/Madam,

Based upon our immediate need, my colleagues and
I, four in number have decided to contact you to intimate
you of our plan to have you receive the sum of Fifteen
Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars
for and on our behalf in a healthy bank account.

This fund has accrued from over-invoiced an contract
which was awarded to TECHNOLOGY GENERAL CORPORATION NEW JERSEY USA,
completed andsettled in terms of their values leaving the inflated value which
was master-minded by me and my colleagues.
My approach may rattle you but the truth is that I got
your contact details from a foundation member of the
South African Export Promotion Council (SAEPC)
who had traveled with some other delegates outside
South Africa to woo investors.

I am presently the Executive Director of the Audit
Department under the Ministry of Natural Resources
and Mines here in South Africa.

If this transaction appeals to you, please respond to this mail.
I will be in a good position to give you full details.
This transaction will be risk free because all formalities,
legalities including proper documentation will be observed / obtained.

You will be given 35% only as compensation upon the fruitful,
successful executive of the transaction. Your support and even
your cooperation will be intensely required and highly appreciated
because our success will be totally dependent on our combined efforts
in comprehensive compliance with the prevailing,
standard financial rules and regulations in the world of today.

Thank you in advance for your solicited assistance.
Please reply to patbzacko@gmail.com

Yours sincerely,


Patrick Bridge

Anti-fraud resources: