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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: "BARRISTER JULIUS KARIM" <BankruptcyatLawfirm@associatelaw.net>
Reply-To: "Joseph Koffi" <ted_donald1971@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 30 Apr 2014 02:25:29 -0400
Subject: YOUR FILE ON MY DESK


JULIUS KARIM AND ASSOCIATES LEGAL CHAMBERS.
Bankruptcy Law, Estate Planning, Family Law,
Probate & Estate Administration and Wills Law.

HEAD OFFICE NO: No 21, Ritis Car Park Road,
Cotonou -- Republic of Benin.

Attn: Sir

I first and foremost seek your forgiveness for my unsolicited business letter to you.

I got your contact from your country's computerize data following my effort searching for any person with your surname name, a trustworthy person to assist me in an inheritance claim of $ 10 million, Ten Million United States dollars only.
My name is Barrister Julius Karim, a lawyer from Republic of Benin, I am the personal attorney to a late foreign contractor from your country whose name is Roy an international contractor who executed contract in the tune of USD $10 MILLION with Government of Republic of Benin. My late client had completed the contract and was in verge of nominating his bank account where the $10 million would be transferred by the accredited paying bank here in Republic of Benin, a process he was about to undergo, but opting to travel to Sendai Japan in March 2011, unfortunately for him, he fell a victim of the catastrophic earth quake and tsunami that occurred in Sendai Japan on 11th of March 2011.
Since I confirmed he was dead, and I know him as a man who grew up as an orphan, he has no wife, no children and no relatives who knows his whereabouts or about the unpaid fund of $ 10 million, I decided to track his last name on the Internet; basically to locate any trustworthy person who bear similar surname with him, hence I contacted you.
As explained above, I am contacting you to assist me to claim the Money valued at USD$ 10 Million Ten Million United state Dollars, executed contract fund that was to be approved in favour of my late client, for the contract he executed with the Federal ministry of works Republic of Benin before his untimely death in Japan on 11th of March 2011.
Despite being his lawyer, I cannot start such inheritance claim alone without someone from your country with similar surname, whom I shall present as the next of kin to the bank’s administration. As his known lawyer, the management and board of directors of the bank have issued me a notice to provide the next of kin to the late contractor, to come for the inheritance claim, otherwise the fund will be confiscated within the next two Weeks of official working days.
So I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin since your surname similarity will undoubtedly prove you his relative, so that the proceeds of this contract fund can be paid to you and the proceed of the $10 million would be shared in ratio of 40% for you and 60% for me subject to negotiation with you.

However in the event of my receipt of your affirmative response, we shall then discuss the sharing ratio and modalities for the transfer. I have important contractual documents and other relevant information needed to back you up the claim. All I required from you is your honesty and maximum co-operation to enable us see that this transaction goes successfully. I guarantee that this will be executed under legitimate arrangement that will protect you and I from any sense of breach of the law, and this deal can be concluded within 10 working days.
Finally, your TELEPHONE/FAX numbers, YOUR AGE & OCCUPATION and your land mailing address are urgently needed for easy communication on the commencement modalities of this claim.

Best Regards

BARRISTER JULIUS KARIM.


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