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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: Kwami Dan <kwamidaneils@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: Kwami Dan <kwamidaniels@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 4 Nov 2011 14:36:04 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: With the best of intention


Dear Sir/Madam,
 
My name is Mr. Kwami Daniels, 58 years old Ghanaian, a Confidential Personal Assistance to an Australian Expatriate and a Consultant with an Asian Oil Company (now deceased). He died of Cancer of the bone marrow (leukemia) while on vacation in his country home Australia. Firstly, I must apologize for sending you this sensitive information by e-mail instead of a Certified Post Mail, this is due to the urgency that this e-letter demands and my swift intention to invest in your country or your company with your assistance.
 
Five years ago my late my boss successfully executed contract that was worth 84.3 Million United States Dollars, and a total part payment of 56 Million United States Dollars was paid to my boss, while the balance of 28.3 Million United States Dollars stood unpaid before his sudden death. Recently, my boss's bank sent me a notification letter, informing me of the existence of the 28.3 Million US Dollars claim, when they got no response from my boss. All my efforts to locate his likely next of kin proved abortive, until his sudden demise he was single without a child, lost his wife 12 years ago and has never remarried.
 
Now the crux of this mail is that by the end of next month the bank will divert all unclaimed bill to the government coffer account. As his Confidential Personal Assistance, his bank has officially instructed me to forward particulars of his next of kin within the next 14 official working days so that he/she can be paid the outstanding balance or the fund will be diverted as advised. Following my inability to locate any of his relatives, I decided to contact you for a deal so that we can remit this money into your account as my boss “Next-of-Kin” because I do not want to sit and watch my boss hard earned entitlement go into wrong use, I assure you that this is achievable.
 
With my experience, I will at once source all the relevant documents that will perfect the claim, all I need from you is your trust, honest co-operation and confidential. I assure you that this proposal is with the best of intention. At the end of the business you will get 30% of the total fund, while I take 70% as the initiator. If this is workable, urgently get back to me for further details on how to proceed next.
 
Sincerely yours,
 
Mr. Kwami Daniels
(Financial Adviser)

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