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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: "James Ahmed" <jamesahmed4ng@msn.com>
Reply-To: jamesahmed@terra.com.mx
Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2006 04:28:46 +0000
Subject: ''INDICATE YOUR INTEREST''

''INDICATE YOUR INTEREST''

FROM THE DESK OF JAMES AHMED.
WEMA BANK PLC,
LAGOS, NIGERIA.
EMAIL: <jamesahmed@terra.com.mx>

DEAR FRIEND,

STRICTLY A PRIVATE BUSINESS PROPOSAL,

I AM JAMES AHMED, THE MANAGER, BILLS AND EXCHANGE AT THE
FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT OF THE WEMA BANK PLC.

I AM WRITING THIS LETTER TO ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND
COOPERATION TO CARRY OUT THIS BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY IN MY
DEPARTMENT.

WE DISCOVERED AN ABANDONED SUM OF $15,000,000.00 (FIFTEEN
MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY) IN AN ACCOUNT THAT
BELONGS TO ONE OF OUR FOREIGN CUSTOMERS WHO DIED ALONG WITH HIS ENTIRE
FAMILY OF A WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN IN NOVEMBER 1997 IN A MOTOR ACCIDENT.

SINCE WE HEARD OF HIS DEATH, WE HAVE BEEN EXPECTING HIS
NEXT-OF-KIN TO COME OVER AND PUT CLAIMS FOR HIS MONEY AS THE
HEIR,BECAUSE WE CANNOT RELEASE THE FUND FROM HIS ACCOUNT
UNLESS SOMEONE APPLIES FOR CLAIM AS THE NEXT-OF-KIN TO
THE DECEASED AS INDICATED IN OUR BANKING GUIDELINES.

UNFORTUNATELY, NEITHER THEIR FAMILY MEMBER NOR DISTANT
RELATIVE HAS EVER APPEARED TO CLAIM THE SAID FUND.

UPON THIS DISCOVERY ,I AND OTHER OFFICIALS IN MY DEPARTMENT
HAVE AGREED TO MAKE BUSINESS WITH YOU AND RELEASE THE TOTAL
AMOUNT INTO YOUR ACCOUNT AS THE HEIR OF THE FUND SINCE NO
ONE CAME FOR IT OR DISCOVERED HE MAINTAINED ACCOUNT WITH OUR BANK, OTHERWISE
THE FUND WILL BE RETURNED TO THE BANKS
TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED FUND.

WE HAVE AGREED THAT OUR RATIO OF SHARING WILL BE AS STATED
THUS; 30 % FOR YOU AS FOREIGN PARTNER, 60 % FOR US THE
OFFICIALS IN MY DEPARTMENT AND 10% FOR THE SETTLEMENT OF
ALL LOCAL AND FOREIGN EXPENCES INCURRED BY US AND YOU
DURING THE COURSE OF THIS BUSINESS.

UPON THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THIS TRANSFER, I AND ONE
OF MY COLLEAGUES WILL COME TO YOUR COUNTRY AND MIND OUR
SHARE.

IT IS FROM OUR 60 % WE INTEND TO IMPORT AGRICULTURAL
MACHINERIES INTO MY COUNTRY AS A WAY OF RECYCLING THE FUND.

TO COMMENCE THIS TRANSACTION, WE REQUIRE YOU TO IMMEDIATELY INDICATE YOUR
INTEREST BY A RETURN E-MAIL AND ENCLOSE THE FOLLOWING:

1.YOUR PRIVATE CONTACT TELEPHONE NUMBER, FAX NUMBER.

2.YOUR FULL NAME AND ADDRESS.

3. YOUR ACCOUNT NUMBER AND YOUR DESIGNATED BANK
COORDINATES.

4.YOUR COPY OF INTERNATIONAL PASSPORT/ DRIVERS LICENCE.

TO ENABLE US FILE LETTER OF CLAIM TO THE APPROPRIATE
DEPARTMENT FOR NECESSARY APPROVALS BEFORE THE TRANSFER CAN
BE MADE.

NOTE ALSO, THIS TRANSACTION MUST BE KEPT STRICTLY
CONFIDENTIAL BECAUSE OF IT'S NATURE.

I LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE.

REGARDS,

MR. JAMES AHMED.
WEMA BANK PLC.

NB.
PLEASE, REPLY TO THIS E-MAIL: <jamesahmed@terra.com.mx>


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