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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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Fraud email example:

From: "WILLIAM PRINCE" <williams_prince3@easylinks.org>
Reply-To: drkenpwills@yahoo.co.in
Date: Sat, 20 Nov 2004 16:14:15 +0100
Subject: SEASONS GREETINGS

FROM THE DESK OF : Williams .K.PRINCE,
DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL REMMITANCE / FOREIGN OPERATIONS:
NedBank Centre
3 Simmonds Street
Johannesburg
South Africa
Co Registration No: 62/00738/06
Email: williams_prince3@easylinks.org


INHERTTANCE FUNDS

20th,NOVEMBER 2004.
ATTN: SIR,

THIS IS TO NOTIFY YOU THAT YOUR OVER DUE INHERITTANCE FUNDS
IN THE SUM OF TWELVE MILLION UNITED
STATES DOLLARS($12M),HAS BEEN GAZZETED TO BE RELEASED, VIA
KEY TELEX TRANSFER ( KTT ) - DIRECT WIRE TRANSFER TO YOU.

MEANWHILE,A WOMAN BY NAME JANET WHITE, CAME TO MY OFFICE
THIS MORNING WITH A LETTER,CLAIMING TO BE YOUR TRUE
REPRESENTATIVE.HER BANK NAME: CITI BANK ARIZONA, USA. AND
ACCOUNT Number: 6503809428.

PLEASE,DO RECONFIRM TO THIS OFFICE,AS A MATTER OF URGENCY,
YOUR FULLNAMES, BANK DETAILS, DIRECT TELEPHONE / FAX NUMBER
FOR EASY COMMUNICATION, AND SPEEDY TRANSFER OF YOUR FUND
WITHOUT ANY DELAY.

THE CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR,EXECUTIVE AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS
HAVE APPROVED AND ACCREDITED THIS REPUTABLE BANK WITH THE
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE / FOREIGN
OPERATIONS,TO HANDLE AND TRANSFER ALL FOREIGN INHERITTANCE
FUNDS THIS FINAL QUARTER OF THE YEAR.

HOWEVER,WE SHALL PROCEED TO ISSUE ALL PAYMENTS DETAILS TO
THE SAID MS.WHITE,IF WE DO NOT HEAR FROM YOU
IMMIDIATELY.CONGRATULATIONS IN ADVANCE.

YOURS SINCERLY,
WILLIAMS .k. PRINCE.
DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE /
FOREIGN OPERATIONS.

CC: ALL FOREIGN INHERITTANCE FUNDS
CBN GOVERNOR RESERVE BANK OF [RSA]
BOARD OF DIRECTORS [RSA]
FILE DEPT. [NEDBANK,PLC]


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