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: ben luke <barr_ben25@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: <barr_benluk@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2007 21:35:20 +0000
Subject: Hello..



From: Barrister Ben luke

I am Barrister Ben luke,an Attorney at law, and the Personal lawyer to Engineer W.A.Knutson,a citizen of your country who used to work as research and production technology in Shell oil company of Togo,Hereinafter shall be referred to as my client.

On the 21st of April,2004,my client,his wife and their two children were involved in a car accident along Karra-Sokode expressway while arriving from a Holiday to Lome.All occupants of the vehicle unfortunately lost their lives. Since then,I have made several inquiries to locate any of my clients extended relatives and this has also proved unsuccessful.

I am contacting you to assist me in claiming the sum of US$14.2 million, which the deceased deposited with a bank in lome - Togo for safekeeping.
The BANK has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin of my late client or have the deposit with them declared an "bandoned Property"through the laid down legal procedures within one Month.

Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over one year now,I therefore,seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased since you have the same name so that the proceed of this deposit valued at US$14.2 million can be released to you, and I and you can share the money at an agreed proportion.You will be required to provide a safe account or open a new account where the mentioned fund will be transfered.

Upon your acceptance to this proposal,the information of the bank will be furnished to you so that you establish a contact with them and inform them of your readiness to claim the deposit with them.

Every secret information relating to the deposit will be given to you which you shall use to identify yourself as the next of kin of my late client.Please contact me as soon as possible while sending your personal telephone and fax numbers
Yours, SincerelyBarrister Ben luke (Esq)
_________________________________________________________________
Connect to the next generation of MSN Messenger 
http://imagine-msn.com/messenger/launch80/default.aspx?locale=en-us&source=wlmailtagline

Anti-fraud resources: