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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: "johnny smith" <johnnysmi@tsamail.co.za>
Reply-To: johnnysmiths@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 16:40:14 -0800
Subject: HELLO !

Mr.Johnny Smith.
Royal Bank of Scotland.
18 Ellon Road,
Bridge of Don
Aberdeen
AB238EA

Dear friend,

This is a proposal in context but actually an appeal
soliciting for your unreserved assistance in consummating
an urgent transaction requiring maximum confidence. Though
this approach appears desperate, I can assure you
that whatever questions you would need to ask or any other
thing you will need to know regarding this proposal will be
adequately answered to give you a clearer understanding of
it, so as to arrive at a successful
conclusion.

My name is Mr.Johnny Smith, Head of Securities, Royal Bank
of Scotland, Aberdeen. On February 17,2002, a foreign
consultant/contractor with the sea Brown and Boveri Ltd,
Mr. Enrique Salcedo, made a numbered time (fixed) Deposit
for twelve calendar months, valued at 8,000,000.00, (Eight
Million Pounds Sterling) in my branch.

Upon maturity, I sent a routine notification to his
forwarding address but got no reply. After a month, I sent
a reminder and finally we discovered from his contract
employers, Asea Brown and Boveri (the energy giant), that
Mr. Salcedo died from an automobile accident.On further
investigation, I found out that he died without making a
WILL, and all attempts to trace his next of kin was
fruitless. I therefore made further investigation and
discovered that Mr. Salcedo did not declare any next of kin
or relations in all his official documents,including his
Bank Deposit paperwork in our Bank.Due to the funds being
temporarily unclaimable, the funds have being moved out of
our bank ( as sundry funds )to an offshore Deposit Company
here in Europe.

From past experiences, I know that no one will ever come
forward to claim the deceased funds. According to Scottish
laws, at the expiration of 5 (five) years, the funds will
be Unclaimable and revert to the ownership of the Australia
Government if nobody applies to claim the fund. In order to
avert this negative development, I in conjunction with a
colleague (the Chief Operating Officer in the bank) now
seek your permission to allow his attorney do a CHANGE OF
OWNERSHIP/REASSIGNMENT OF CREDIT of stated funds from the
"deceased" to your name, so that the funds ( 8 million
Pounds) would be released to you as the new owner (on
behalf of me and my colleague). We are writing you because,
as public servants, we cannot operate a foreign account or
have an account that is more than 20,000:00 Pounds.

Consequently, you will be presented as the owner of the
funds in the Deposit Company so you can be able to claim
them, after all necessary paperwork has being effected. For
us to commence, I will like you to provide the following
information immediately;

1. Full names
2. Contact address
3. Telephone and fax numbers

Once I receive these information, I will prepare the
necessary documents which will put you in place as the new
owner of the funds. The money will then be released to your
custody by the Deposit Company, for us to share in the
ratio of 70% for us and 30% for you. There is no risk at
all as all the paperwork for this transaction will be done
by the solicitor and this will guarantees the successful
execution of this transaction.

If you are interested, please reply via my email address.
Upon your response, I shall then provide you with more
details, and further explanation that will help you
understand the transaction. No doubt this proposal will
make you apprehensive,please we imploy you to observe
utmost confidentiality and rest assured that this
transaction would be most profitable for both of us because
we shall require your assistance to invest our share in
your country(Real estate and any other ideas you may have),
this is why your urgent action and response is of great
essence which will enable us conclude this transaction in a
timely and professional manner.

I await your swift response hoping you accept my proposal,
as time is of equal essence in this project as well as is
confidentiality. Your response should be to my private
email address: johnnysmiths_94@hotmail.com

Thank you and have a nice day.

Respectfully yours,

Mr. Johnny Smith.



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