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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: "Joseph Anthanase" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <JosephAnthanase@qq.com>
Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 18:52:45 +0200
Subject: PARTNERSHIP NEEDED

ATTN: My Dearest Friend
 
Fvocat ALa Cour 04 BH I247 Cotonou,
République du Bénin.
 
ATTN: My Dearest Friend
I am Barrister. Charles Nicholson a private attorney to Late Peter Kontke, a national of your country, who used to work as the Director of Société Nationale de
 
Commercialisation des Products Pétroliers Oil Company, Here in after shall be referred to as my client.
On the  22nd of March 2010, my client, His wife and their Five Children were involved in a car accident Cotonou-Abome express-road. All occupants of the vehicle
 
unfortunately lost their lives. Since then I have made several inquiries to your embassy to locate any of my clients extended relatives but all efforts was just in
 
vain.  After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to track of his country person over the Internet to locate any member of his Family hence I contacted you.
I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money left behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the B a n k of AfricaBenin
 
Republic West Africa. These huge d e p o s i t s were lodged particularly, with the B a n k FOR AFRICA BENIN  REPUBLIC (UBA) where the Deceased had an a c c o u n t valued at about
 
$18.5 Million Dollars. The B a n k has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have the a c c o u n t
 
confiscated. Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over Two years with some Months now. This is needed when responding back to me here bellow:
Your Full Name and Address
Your Age
Occupation and Position
Your Telephone Mobile and Fax Number for Communication
Purpose
 
Best Regards,
Barrister.Charles Nicholson.ROM

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