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: "Alan Douglas" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <adouglas@blumail.org>
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2014 07:58:19 +0800
Subject: Guten Tag von Herrn Alan Douglas

 
I am Mr.Alan Douglas head of accounting udit department of RBS Branch: 48 Haymarket,London SW1Y 4SE,UNITED KINGDOM, here in England. I am writing you about a business proposal that will be of an immense benefit to both of us. In my department, being the manager London regional office, I discovered a Sum of ?16.5 Million (sixteen million and five hundred thousand pounds sterling) in an account that belongs to one of our foreign customers late business mogul mr. moises saba masri billionaire, a jew from mexico that was a victim of a helicopter crash 10 Jan, 2010, killtinging him and his family members. Saba was 46-years-old. Also in the chopper at the time of the crash was his wife, their son abraham (Alberto) and his daughter-in-law. the pilot was also dead.
 
The choice of contacting you is aroused from the geographical nature of where you live, particularly due to the sensitivity of the transaction and the confidentiality herein. Now our bank has been waiting for any of the relatives to come-up for the claim but nobody has done that. I personally have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives, i seek your consent to present you as the next of kin/Will beneficiary to the deceased so that the proceeds of this account valued at sixteen million five hundred pounds can be paid to you.
 
This will be disbursed or shared in these percentages, sixty percent to me and fourty percent to you. i have secured all necessary legal documents that can be used to back up this claim we are making. All I need is to fill in your names to the documents and legalize it in the court here to prove you as the legitimate beneficiary. all I require now is your honest Co-operation, confidentiality and trust to enable us see this transaction through. I guarantee you that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.
Please, provide me the following, as we have 7 days to run it through. this is very urgent please.
 
1. full name:2. Your direct mobile number:3. your contact address:4:occupation:5. age:6. sex:7. nationality:
 
 
Having gone through a methodical search, i decided to contact you hoping that you will find this proposal interesting. please on your confirmation of this message and indicating your interest I will furnish you with more information.
endeavor to let me know your decision rather than keep me waiting.
 
Thanking you in anticipation of your favorable reply.
 
Regards,
Mr.Alan Douglas

Anti-fraud resources: