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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: "Festus Orre" <festusorre1@rediffmail.com>
Reply-To: <festusorre@yahoo.cn>
Date: Mon, 9 Apr 2012 19:38:54 +0100
Subject: CAN YOU BE PART OF THIS?

DEAR FRIEND


MY NAME IS MR FESTUS ORRE, AN ACCOUNTANT BY PROFESSION. I AM WRITTING TO SOLICIT FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE TO EFFECT A FUND TRANSFER THROUGH YOUR BANK ACCOUNT OVERSEAS.

THERE IS A PRIVATE BANK ACCOUNT THAT WAS ORIGINALLY ESTABLISHED IN OUR BANK IN 2007 BY OUR CUSTOMER AND THE ACCOUNT HAS AN EXISTING BALANCE OF THE SUM OF USD$83 MILLION, THROUGH A COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH, WE GATHERED THAT THE ACCOUNT HOLDER DIED INTESTATE AND EVER SINCE THEN THE ACCOUNT REMAINED DORMAN (NON - OPERATIONAL) AND ALL EFFORT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE DECEASED RELATIVE WAS ABORTIVE. HOWEVER, THE DEPOSITOR OF THE FUND WAS THE MANAGER OF PETRO-TECHNICAL SUPPORT SERVICES, A CHEMICAL ENGINEER BY PROFESSION AND THE SAID ACCOUNT HAS NO NEXT OF KIN AND MY INVESTIGATION PROVED THAT HER COMPANY DOES NOT HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE OF THIS ACCOUNT; HENCE TILL DATE NOBODY FROM THE COMPANY OR ELSEWHERE HAS COME TO CLAIM THE MONEY.

I HEREBY DECIDE TO GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU AS A FOREINER TO MAKE A DEALK WITH YOU AS TO TRANSFER AND SHARE THE MONEY.



TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, I WILL FRONT YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN, SO THAT THE FUND CAN BE TRANSFER TO YOUR ACCOUNT. I AM CONTACTING YOU BECAUSE OF THE NEED TO INVOLVE A FOREIGNER, WITH A FOREIGN ACCOUNT WHO WILL CLAIM THE MONEY AS THE BENEFICIARY HOPING THAT YOU WILL NOT BETRAY MY TRUST ON YOU.

BE REST ASSURED THAT YOU DON'T HAVE ANY RISK TO RUN IN THIS TRANSACTION AS I WILL USE MY POSITION AND INFLUENCE TO GET THE PROBATE ARRANGEMENT FOR THE TRANSFER OF THIS MONEY INTO YOUR ACCOUNT.


FINALLY, I WILL NEED YOUR CO-OPERATION TO MAKE THIS WORK BECAUSE THE MANAGEMENT IS READY TO APPROVE THIS PAYMENT TO ANY FOREIGNER WHO HAS CORRECT INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ACCOUNT WHICH I WILL GIVE TO YOU IMMEDIATELY YOU INDICATE YOUR INTEREST TO HANDLE SUCH AMOUNT IN STRICT CONFIDENCE AND TRUST.

IF YOU ARE TRULY CAPABLE OF HANDLING THIS TRANSACTION, REACH ME IMMEDIATELY.

YOUR FAITHFULLY,

FESTUS ORRE

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