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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: "Mr Frank R Belonwu" <franklin.rana@yahoo.fr>
Reply-To: franklin.rana@vip.se.com
Date: Fri, 9 Dec 2011 18:38:01 +0530
Subject: Transfer of Unclaimed Funds


From :Mr Frank Belonwu
Manager Audit and Accounts
Industrial Bank of West Africa
Cotonou, Benin.

Good day

It is with trust and sincerity that I approach you for assistance to
transfer some funds into your bank account. Please,accept my apology if my
e-mail infringes on your personal ethics. I need your cooperation in
transfer of funds that belonged to a deceased customer of our Bank that is
from your country.I was in the last Board of Directors meeting of our Bank
to give an audit Report,and while I was there,the members of Board of
Directors discussed this deceased customer's fund.

Since his death in October 2001 in a plane crash along with members of his
immediate family, the fund has remained unclaimed.In conclusion,the Board
of directors may declare it abandoned at the close of the Bank's Financial
Year,if it is still not claimed.

I am therefore appealling to you today for help since it is now clear that
the board of directors will declare the money abandoned or unclaimed
during their end of the year's Board meeting,and then it will revert to
Government purse as abandoned.Then it will do nobody any good.But this
fund can only be declared abandoned if nobody comes forward as the next of
kin.So I need your assistance and cooperation for this money to be
transferred for our mutual benefits.

The total amount in the dormant account as at when it was last operated is
U.S.D. $8.7 M (Eight Million Seven Hundred Thousand United States
Dollars).In order for this money to be transferred,I need you as the next
of kin that can present claims over this funds, as the nearest relative of
the deceased customer (his next of kin) .Here you can rightly apply as his
cousin.

When the money is transferred, you will be entitled to 40% while 60% will
be for me. I guarantee that I will use my position to ensure a smooth
processing of this claim and success will be ours.I wait for your mail.

Reply with the following details:

Your names...................................................
Address...............................................................
Tel/fax.................................................................
Age..................................................
Occupation...........................................................
Marital Status.......................................................

Please treat this as a highly confidential matter.

I am Yours Sincerely

Frank Belonwu.
Phone:+229 9946 4990.














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