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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: "mrs.shabangu" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrs.s.h.shabangu@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 9 Apr 2014 17:32:51 +0200
Subject: PL I NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE INTO THIS TRANSACTION

Dear Partner and Friend,
How are you and your family? First, let me start by introducing myself as MRS. SUSAN SHABANGU, a mother of three children and the Deputy Minister of Safety and Security since 29th April 1996 to date under the auspices of the President of South Africa MR. THABO MBEKI. After due deliberation with my children, I decided to contact you for your assistance in standing as the beneficiary to these sum of US$30.5M. You can view my profile on this my country's website (South Africa) www.gov.za or you can quickly click here (http://www.info.gov.za/gol/gcis_profile.jsp?id=1066)
THE PROPOSAL, After the swearing in ceremony making me the Deputy Minister of Safety and Security then, but I am currently the Minister of Mining, my husband Mr. Ndelebe Shabangu died while he was on an official trip to Trinidad and Tobago in 1996. After his death, I discovered that he had some funds in a dollar account which amounted to the sum of US$30.5M with a security and finance institution in South Africa of which I will give you more information to you when about this when I get your full consent and support to go for a change of beneficiary and subsequent transfer of the funds into a comfortable and conducive account of your choice. This fund actually, emanated as a result of an over-invoiced contract, which my husband (Ndelebe Shabangu) executed with the Government of South Africa. Though I assisted him in getting this contract but I never knew that it was over-invoiced by him. I am afraid that the Government of South Africa. Might start to investigate on contracts
awarded from 1990 to date. If the

If you want to speak with my Banker, that is definitely okay by me. You will have to send down your private telephone /fax number so that I can forward it to him to reach you from time to time. Please I do not need to remind you of the need for absolute Confidentiality of this transaction must succeed. If you do not feel comfortable with this transaction, do not hesitate to discontinue.
Thanks for your anticipated co-operation and my regards to you.

From, MRS. SUSAN SHABANGU
Minister of Mining, Republic of South Africa.

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