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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. Galofaro Giorgio" <mr.-galofaro5@msn.com>
Reply-To: mrgalofaro@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 24 May 2012 19:27:42 +0000
Subject: Re Hello Reply

Mr. Galofaro Giorgio.
Personal line: +447035960433.

Dear Friend,

I feel quite safe and satisfy dealing with you in this Mutual Beneficial transaction. Though this medium (Internet) has been greatly abused, I choose to reach you through it because it still remains the fastest, surest and most secured medium of communication.

My name is Mr. Galofaro Giorgio and Italian working with the National City Bank. I am the Regional Manager of National City Bank London . The fund belongs to Late Mr. Michael COLON a Lebanese business magnate who deposited the sum £5.5 Million Pounds Sterling . Mr. Michael COLON died in a ghastly motor accident in Lebanon with his wife and only daughter and since then the fund has been in a suspense account and no one has ever come for the claim. After my investigation, I discovered that Mr. Michael COLON died along with his Next of Kin which is his only daughter and the law guiding our bank states that after the expiration of 3 years; if nobody comes to claim the fund within the estimated period of time, the fund will be the transferred into an escrow account as an unclaimed fund.

I have decided to offer you 40% of the total fund, while I take 50% of the fund and the remaining 10% will be used for expenses that may incur during the transfer. I am seeking your humble assistance to provide either an existing bank account or set up a new bank account to receive this fund, even an empty account can serve this purpose, or you help to seek an honest and, reliable businessman who can assist us. Though I know that a transaction of this magnitude will make any one apprehensive and worried, but I am assuring you that this transaction is being handled by me and my colleague, who is also departmental head in the same bank. There are practically no risks involved, the transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law, it will be simply a bank-to bank transfer and all I need from you is to stand claim as the original depositor of the fund.

All I require from you is your honest cooperation and please send the following information to me:

1. Your Full Name
2. Your Direct Mobile / Fax Number
3. Your Occupation

Please I will like this transaction to be strictly between you and me. Upon receipt of your reply, I will start by giving you the CLAIM FORM which you will fill and send to the bank. I will be monitoring the whole situation here in this bank until you confirm the money in your bank account. I expect to hear from you urgently because the bank management is eager to confiscate the funds if no one comes for the claim.

Mr. GALOFARO GIORGIO.
Personal Telephone: +447035960433.

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