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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.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: "james osagie" <gerardvandijk706@msn.com>
Date: Mon, 01 Aug 2005 17:16:15 +0000
Subject: THANKS VERY MUCH

DEAR FRIEND,

COMPLIMENTS OF THE SEASON, MY NAME IS MR.willams washington.THE BRANCH
MANAGER OF ALLSTATE TRUST BANK OF NIGERIA PLC LAGOS STATE BRANCH. I AM
WRITING IN RESPECT OF A FOREIGN CUSTOMER OF MY BANK(MR.WAHAB DANIEL)WITH
ACCOUNT NUMBER ATS1022002-109 WHO PERISHED WITH HIS FAMILY IN AN AUTO CRASH
IN ABUJA EXPRESWAY,IN NIGERIA, ON THE 17TH OF JUNE 2000.

SINCE THE DEMISE OF MR DANIEL,I PERSONALLY HAVE WATCHED WITH KEEN
INTEREST TO SEE THE NEXT OF KIN BUT ALL HAS PROVED ABORTIVE AS NO ONE HAS
COME TO CLAIM HIS FUNDS OF USD6.23M,SIX MILLION,TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY
THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS]HAS BEEN WITH OUR BANK HERE FOR A VERY LONG
TIME,WHICH HAS ACCUMULATED SOME INTEREST.

ON THIS NOTE I DECIDED TO SEEK FOR YOU, YOUR NAME SHALL BE USED AS THE
NEXT OF KIN,AS NO ONE HAS COME UP TO PUT CLAIM AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO THIS
FUNDS AND THE BANKING ETHICS HERE DOES NOT ALLOW SUCH MONEY TO STAY MORE
THAN FOUR YEARS,BECUASE AFTER FOUR YEARS THE MONEY WILL BE CALLED BACK TO
THE BANK TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED BILL..

I AM CONVINCED IN MY MIND THAT YOUR NAME COULD BE USED AS THE NEXT OF
KIN TO THIS CLAIM.THE REQUEST OF THE FOREIGNER AS A NEXT OF KIN IN THIS
BUSINESS IS OCCASIONED BY THE FACT THAT THE CUSTOMER WAS A FOREIGNER AND A
NIGERIAN CANNOT STAND AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO A FOREIGNER.

I HAVE AGREED TO SHARE THIS MONEY WITH YOU IN THE MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING
OF 70%/30%.YOU KEEP 30% WHILE I KEEP 70%,THEREAFTER I WILL VISIT YOUR
COUNTRY,FOR DISBURSEMENT AS I AM ALMOST DUE FOR RETIREMENT.

THEREFORE TO ENDEAVOUR THE IMMEDIATE TRANSFER OF THIS FUNDS TO YOUR
ACCOUNT,YOU HAVE TO APPLY FIRST TO THE BANK AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO THE
DESEASED INDICATING BY SENDING AN APPLICATION AND LOCATION WHERE THE
MONEY WILL BE REMITTED.

I WILL NOT FAIL TO BRING TO YOUR NOTICE THAT THIS BUSINESS IS HITCH
FREE AND THAT YOU SHOULD NOT ENTERTAIN ANY FEAR AS THE WHOLE REQUIRED
ARRANGEMENT AS BEEN PERFECTED FOR THE TRANSFER.

THIS IS MY PRIVATE EMAIL ADDRESS(willams2washoington@yahoo.co.uk ) DO
NOT HESITATE TO REPLY ME THROUGH THIS EMAIL ADDRESS IF YOU ARE INTERESTED.

KIND REGARDS.

MR.willams washington


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