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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: "Melvin Bruce" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <melvinbruce801@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2010 22:45:41 +0200
Subject: URGENT AND CONFIDENTIAL!!!

DEAR FRIEND
 
URGENT AND CONFIDENTIAL.
 
 
TRANSFER OF [$13,500.000.00 USD. THIRTEEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS
WE WANT TO TRANSFER TO OVERSEAS [$13,500.000.00] THIRTEEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS FROM CAPITEC BANK IN SOUTH AFRICA. I WOULD LIKE, IF YOU WILL BE CAPABLE AND FIT TO PROVIDE EITHER AN EXISTING BANK ACCOUNT OR TO SET UP A NEW BANK ACCOUNT IMMEDIATELY TO RECEIVE THIS MONEY, EVEN AN EMPTY ACCOUNT CAN SERVE TO RECEIVE THIS MONEY, AS LONG AS YOU WILL REMAIN HONEST TO ME TILL THE END OF THIS IMPORTANT BUSINESS TRANSACTION.
 
I WANT TO BELIEVE THAT YOU WILL NEVER LET ME DOWN EITHER NOW OR IN FUTURE. I   AM  MR. MELVIN BRUCE OF ACCOUNTS DEPARTMENT OF CAPITEC BANK SA, DURING THE COURSE OF OUR AUDITING I DISCOVERED A FLOATING FUND IN AN ACCOUNT OPENED WITH OUR BANK IN 1999 AND SINCE 2008 NOBODY HAS OPERATED ON THIS ACCOUNT AGAIN, AFTER GOING THROUGH SOME OLD FILES IN THE RECORDS I DISCOVERED THAT THE OWNER OF THE ACCOUNT DIED WITHOUT AN HEIR HENCE THE MONEY IS FLOATING AND IF I DO NOT REMIT THIS MONEY OUT URGENTLY IT WILL BE FORFEITED FOR NOTHING.
 
THE OWNER OF THIS ACCOUNT WAS A FOREIGNER,AN INDUSTRIALIST, HE DIED SINCE 2005 AND NO OTHER PERSON KNOWS ABOUT THIS ACCOUNT OR ANYTHING CONCERNING IT, THE ACCOUNT HAS NO BENEFICIARY AND MY INVESTIGATION PROVED TO ME AS WELL THAT THE ACCOUNT OWNER UNTIL HIS DEATH WAS A EXPERTRIATE/CONTRACTOR WITH ESKOM IN SOUTH AFRICA [PTY] SA.
 
I AM CONTACTING YOU AS A FOREIGNER BECAUSE THIS MONEY CAN ONLY BE APPROVED TO A FOREIGNER WITH A VALID INTERNATIONAL PASSPORT OR DRIVERS LICENCE AND FOREIGN ACCOUNT BECAUSE THE MONEY IS IN US DOLLARS AND THE FORMER OWNER OF THE ACCOUNT IS A FOREIGNER.I AM REVEALING ALL THIS TO YOU WITH THE BELIEF THAT YOU WILL NEVER LET ME DOWN IN THIS BUSINESS, YOU ARE THE FIRST AND THE ONLY PERSON I AM CONTACTING FOR THE BUSINESS SO PLEASE REPLY URGENTLY FOR ME TO TELL YOU THE NEXT STEP TO TAKE.
 
 
YOU SHOULD FORWARD YOUR TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS WHICH IS ALSO NEEDED. YOU WILL HAVE TO GIVE ME THE ASSURANCE WHEN WE MEET THAT THIS MONEY WILL BE INTACT PENDING OUR PHYSICAL ARRIVAL IN YOUR COUNTRY FOR SHARING AND DISBURSEMENT OF THE FUND WHICH WILL BE 40% FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE, 55% WILL BE FOR US WHILE 5% WILL BE SET ASIDE TO TAKE CARE OF ALL THE EXPENSES THAT WILL BE INCURED BY BOTH PARTIES DURING THE COURSE OF THE TRANSFER.
 
I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR EARLIEST RESPONSE, NOTE YOU CAN ALSO CALL ME ON MY PRIVATE NUMBER OR MY E-MAIL ADDRESS BELOW, FOR SECURITY REASONS.
 
 
BEST REGARDS
 
MR. MELVIN BRUCE
Tel:+27-731-562-016
Fax:+27-865-711-287
Email:melvinbruce02@aol.com

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