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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: "Barrister Mahathir Abdul" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <barristermahathirabdui1@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Tue, 9 Nov 2010 19:23:09 +0800
Subject: Dear Sir/Madam

Barrister Mahathir Abdul
Abdul and Partners Law Firm,
No 40, Jalan Ampang,
68000 Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia.

Dear Sir/Madam,

My name is Mahathir Abdul, Attorney at law. I am compelled to contact you directly after due considerations concerning a confidential matter within my jurisdiction. My late client's account where the total sum of eleven million, five hundred thousand dollars ($11,5million) was lodged remained dormant since after his death in an aircrash aboard a gulf air flight in persian gulf near Bahrain aired August 23, 2000 - 2:50 p.m. ET reported on:http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0008/23/bn.08.html.

I have contacted you to assist in distributing the money left behind by my client before it is confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank after all efforts to reach his family has proven abortive. My proposition to you is to seek your consent to present you as the next-of-kin and beneficiary of my late client so that the proceeds of this account can be paid to you. Then we can share the amount on a mutually agreed-upon percentage.

All legal documents to back up your claim as my client's next of kin will be secured gradually and forwarded to you. All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see this transaction through. This will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.

If this business proposition offends your moral values, do accept my apology. Please contact me via (barristermahathirabdui1@yahoo.com.hk) to indicate your interest.

Regards,
Barr.Mahathir Abdul
Senior Advocate/Solicitor

Anti-fraud resources: