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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: Lanre Williams <vvkk.oclll@tim.it>
Reply-To: gustavd1408@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 15 Aug 2017 13:18:57 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: My Dear Friend,


My Dear Friend,
On a very happy note and bearing in mind the staunch commitment that you had put into the quest to see that the fund was transferred to you for claim as we had arranged but to no avail, I write to inform you that at last, the fund transfer had been successful. Since all our effort in conjunction with yours were met with various failures and disappointments after the other, there was an influential party from Serbia, southeastern Europe that was approached on our behalf by a Finance &amp; Management Supports Initiatives(a consulting firm); and with her (influential party) imputes, the fund was paid out and I have collected my own share. Presently, I am in Malaysia where, in partnership with a core investor in the Mining Sector of their economy, we are investing in the industry. But, I am not oblivious of the fact that you did your best in that context, although, it seem that element of doubt crept in.
You were not to blame, as there were many circumstances that would reflect such skepticism to any reasonable being. For your sincere but unfruitful sacrifices, I pressurized the influential woman to concede some amount as compensation to you, for the resource that you impinged even the time and inconveniences. The sum of US$850,000.00 (Eight hundred and fifty thousand United States dollars) only was what she agreed to as your compensation value, and the sum was made in international certified bank draft but, because of my appointment in Japan and too, I could not get through to you since your number at any time indicated "not in use", I then handed it over to my secretary.
His name is Mr. Gustavo Daniel and his email (gustavd1408@gmail.com) my secretary is very much informed by me about you and I instructed him to hand over the international certified bank draft to you as soon as you contact him. I gave him the CODE INTD850, which you have to mention for identification. When you receive it,inform me.
Yours Sincerely,Lanre Williams

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