joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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. David Odume" <nelsonfred29@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mr.davidodume@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2018 11:58:24 +0000
Subject: Kindly read and get back to me as soon as possible.


Good Day,

I decided to write you this proposal in good faith, believing that you will
not betray me. I have been in search of someone with the same last name of
our late customer and close friend of mine (Mr. Victor), hence I contacted
you because both of you bear the same last name and coincidentally from the
same country, and I was pushed to contact you and see how best we can
assist each other. Meanwhile I am Mr. David Odume, A reputable banker here
in Accra Ghana.

On the 15 march 2007, the young millionaire (Mr. Victor),a citizen of your
country and crude oil dealer made a fixed deposit with my bank, valued at
US $17,500,000.00 (seventeen million, five hundred thousand US dollars) and
the mature date for this deposit contract was on 30th of march, 2017. But
sadly he was among the death victims in the 12 May 2008, earthquake
disaster in china that killed over 65,000 people. Because he was in china
on a business trip and that was how he meet his end.

My bank management is yet to know about his death, but I knew about it
because he was my friend and I am his account relationship officer, and he
did not mention any Next of Kin / heir when the account was opened, because
he was not married and has no children.

Last week my bank management requested that (Mr. Victor) should give
instructions on what to do about his funds, if to renew the contract or
not. I know this will happen and that is why I have been looking for a
means to handle the situation, because if my bank directors happens to know
that he is dead and do not have any heir, they will take the funds for
their personal use, so I don't want such to happen. That is why I am
seeking your co-operation to present you as the Next of Kin / heir to the
account, since you bear same last name with the deceased customer.

There is no risk involved; the transaction will be executed under a
legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of law. It is
better that we claim the money, than allowing directorships to take it,
they are rich already. I am not a greedy person, so I’m suggesting we share
the funds in this ratio, 50/50%, i.e. Equal. Let me know your mind on this
and please do treat this information highly confidential. I will review
further information’s / details to you as soon as I receive your positive
response. Write to me on my private email. mr.davidodume@gmail.com

With Regard,

Mr. David Odume.

Anti-fraud resources: