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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: "Michael Hampton" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <michael.hampton@3mail.ie>
Date: Wed, 3 Aug 2011 13:45:27 +0530
Subject: Attention:Sir/Madam,

 
 
 
 
Attention:Sir/Madam,
 
I am Michael Hampton, a UK based American attorney at law. I discovered your email (address) and information through a comprehensive web search on the internet, so I decided to contact you. Please accept my sincere apology, if i am interfering on your privacy. I assure you that the details herein are authentic; I can send you my Identification for verification.
 
A deceased client of mine named Mr Saeed Ahmed, died as a result of a heart-related conditions on the 6th May 2005. His heart condition was caused due to the death of all the members of his family in the Gulf Air Flight Crashes in Persian Gulf near Bahrain Aired August 23, 2000 - 2:50 p.m. ET as reported on http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0008/23/bn.08.html
 
All effort to trace any of his extended family relations has proved abortive. I am contacting you to assist in repatriating the consignment box that was deposited by my late client before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the Security Company where it is deposited.
 
Early this year, the Security Company where my late client deposited a consignment box containing Six million Dollars (US$6.000.000) issued me a 6 months notice to provide the Next of Kin or have the fund consignment confiscated,and this ultimatum expires by next month. Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for many years now;
 
I seek your consent to present you as the Next of Kin so that the proceed of this deposit valued at (US$6.000.000) Six million Dollars can be released to you; and then you and I can share the money, 40% for me 40% for you, and the remaining 20% will be for charity home.
 
All i require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this business through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. As we proceed you will begin to realize that it is risk free; Only i have to instruct you on what and what to do at every time.
 
Please send your reply to my private email address: michael.hampton@3mail.ie for more details. On receipt of your positive response, I shall furnish you with all details and relevant documents to prove that this transaction is legitimate.
 
Yours Truly,
 
Barrister Michael Hampton.(esq)
E-mail: michael.hampton@3mail.ie
Tel: +44 7010 045 887
LONDON, UK.

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