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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: "The Brihams International Bank Plc." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <customer.care_uba@telugu.ws>
Date: Tue, 25 Oct 2011 13:54:14 +0100
Subject: Attention Please: We Await Your Response.

The Brihams International Bank Plc.
50-70 Marina,
P.O. Box 7840
Ikeja Lagos-Nigeria.

Dear Valued Customer,

You are officially welcomed to the Brihams Bank International Plc, where everything we do is all about you and to bring online Banking to your doorstep and grass root level. Please be informed that we are prepared to give you the best of services. Nevertheless, we need your maximum assistance to enable the delivery of our constitutional responsibilities to you.

This is to inform you that our research for a Next of Kin for the mentioned Fund of $850,000.00, (Eight Hundred and Fifty Thousand United Stated Dollars) which was deposited in a Non Residental Account with our Bank as your Family Inheritance. We have been searching for a next of kin to your Family. In Our search for a next of kin. We have one Ms. Rechecl who claims to be a representative of your Family. She was unable to to prove this as a Member of your Family. As a result of this, we are hereby pleased to inform you that Ms Rechael was denied the permission to tranfer the Fund because she was unable to provid relevant information about your family. And she has been arristed by the Police for Impersonation.

Due to these, we advise you to reply this mail confirming that she is your Sister and she was delegated by your Family to cliam the Fund Belonging to your entire Family before she can be released. Our search and investigation for a next of kin to your Family shows that you are a Legal and Biological member of the said family an evidence to proves this right contains your Contact Information as provided below:

Attention Please: Please we want you to understand that we have your Family Files here which contains your information as provided above. as a result of this, you are hereby advice to comply with the Bank by reconfirming the information provided below as an evidence that we are in contact with Mr...... so that the your Family Funds will be released to you by International wired money transfer system. This Funds will be transferred into your choice of account, you are required to provided the information below which will be used for the wired transfer.

Full Name:
Family Name:
Address:
Sex:
Age:
Occupation:
Tel:
E-mail Address:

We shall proceed with the immediate Release and Transfer of your Family Fund to you as soon as you reply with more evidence from you.

Your utmost responds will be needed.

Mrs. Grace Morgan
Island Regulatory Body
50-70 Marina,
P.O. Box 7840
Brihams International Bank Plc
Regional Account Officer

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