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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: MICHAEL THABO <michaethabi4440@msn.com>
Reply-To: <michaethabo@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:25:33 +0000
Subject: PLEASE READ THIS CAREFULLY AND REPLY




>From Dr. Dr.Mchael Thabo

The Branch Manager

The Amalgamated Banks of South Africa (Absa),

Republic Of South Africa (RSA)

Hello Dear.

My name is Dr. Dr.Mchael Thabo, I am the General Manager of Absa Digital Channels Amalgamated Banks of South Africa (ABSA BANK), I got your information during my search through the Internet. I am 53years old married with 3 lovely kids. It may interest you to know that I am a Man of peace who is also very hard working, but I do not know how you will feel about this because you may have double mind, considering a lot of things that is going on in the world today. But I want you to know that what I am writing to you now is very real.

I promise you that you will not have any regret after doing this transaction with me. I only hope that we can lift each other up financially through this business. But if you don't want this business offer you can forget it and I will not contact you again.

I have packaged a financial transaction that will benefit both of us, as the regional branch manager of The Amalgamated Banks of South Africa (ABSA BANK); it is my duty to send in a financial report to my head office in Johannesburg at the end of every year. When I was about to submit last year 2008 end of the year financial report, I discovered that my branch in which I am the branch manager made an excess gain of Six million seven hundred and fifty thousand dollar [6, 750.000.00] which my head office is not aware of it and will never be aware of it.

This excess fund is as a result of my commitment to service, strategic planning and hard work. Since then I place this fund on what we call SUSPENSE ACCOUNT without any beneficiary for now. Bear in mind that this fund belongs to nobody

As an official of ABSA INTERNATIONAL BANK I can not be able to prove to my directors that I am the owner of this fund. This is my reason for contacting you through this mail. I want you and me to claim this fund. There is no risk that will be involved. I just want you to stand for me as the original owner of this fund by receiving this fund into your bank account in your country after which we will share it. My country is very beautiful and peaceful as well, you can come down here for this business if you wish. But if you can not come, there is still no problem.

It will then be a bank to bank transfer, all I need from you is to stand claim as the original depositor of this fund who made the deposit in my own branch of ABSA BANK so that my Head office can order the transfer of this fund to your designated bank account in your country. If you accept this offer to work with me, I will appreciate it very much as soon as I receive your response I will give you details on how we can achieve it successfully.

Best Regards

Dr.Mchael Thabo

PLEASE READ THIS CAREFULLY AND REPLY

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