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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: "Dr. Saleem Zakaraia" <drsaleemzakaraia@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 7 Oct 2010 08:03:05 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Reply, if it interest you !!!




From thedesk of Dr. Saleem Zakaraia
Bill And Exchange Manager
Bank Of Africa (BOA)
West Africa
Dear Friend,
 
                  CONFIDENTIAL

I know that this mail will come to you as a big
surprise; I am the bill and exchange manager in Bank Of Africa. I hoped thatyou
will not expose or betray this trust and confident that I am about to repose on
you for the mutual benefit of our both families.
 
In my department I discovered an abandoned sum of
10.5m us dollars in an account that belongs to one of our foreign customer (Dr.
Eric MORGAN) 59 years American citizen who died 11th September 2001 with event
of terrorist attack on World Trade Canter.
 
I need your urgent assistance in transferring the
mentioned sum Immediately to your account, the money has been dormant for years
in our bank here without any body coming for the claim, I don't want the money
to go into our bank treasury as an abandoned or unclaimed fund, so this is the
reason why I contacted you, so that the bank can release the money to you asthe
nearest person to the deceased customer.
 
Please I will like you to keep this proposal as a top
secret and delete if you are not interest and if you are interest reply
immediately, upon receipt of your reply, I will send you full details on howthe
business will be executed and also note that you will have 30% of the above
mentioned sum if you agree to transact the business with me and 5% will be for
any expenses that will occur during the transfer why I will have 65% as my own
share.
 
You should reply for further
arrangement.
 
Anticipating your cooperation
Best regards
Dr. Saleem Zakaraia.

Anti-fraud resources: