joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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: DAVID SANTOS <davidsantosfamily1@mcom.com>
Reply-To: <davidsantosfamily@mcom.com>
Date: Thu, 23 May 2013 07:00:34 +0200
Subject: >>SPAM<<
WE SOLICIT FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE.

From: Mr. David Santos Family
 
Greetings:
 
This may appear a bit surprising to you but very beneficial as a matter of urgency that I took the courage to contact you in this discreet matter that demands for a trusted person that won't let me and my family down at the end of the day. We are in exile in South Africa, our country of origin is Zimbabwe but we are here for safety since after the death of my late father who was murdered in cold blood during the land dispute crisis in my country 5 years ago.
 
My aim is to seek for your help to claim our inheritance money amounting to US$31,500,000.00 (Thirty-one Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) in Security Vault here in Johannesburg South Africa, I am contacting you in the consent of my family that gave me the mandate as the eldest son of the family to seek for a trust worthy foreign partner to assist us transfer the family inheritance fund to his/her account in your country then we migrate to your country to settle and invest.
 
We are compelled to solicit for your assistance because with our status as refugees, we cannot transfer the money ourselves; the law prohibits us from operating bank account or having such huge amount either in account or in cash. Hence my letter, I want you to help us transfer the money to your personal/company bank account and take 30% of the total sum for your compensation for assisting us, also you will help us buy/lease a residential house and as well invest the money for us in your organization or in any other lucrative business venture in your country.
 
Upon your immediate response, I will immediately arrange and send to you all the information's that will empower your good self in finalizing the transaction with the security company here in South Africa. I need your urgent and confidential response.
 
Thanks and God bless you.
 
Mr. David Santos (for the family)
 

Anti-fraud resources: