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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: "Sani Bello" <chen1@virtualworkers.org>
Reply-To: sanibello@web-mail.com.ar
Date: Tue, 21 Dec 2004 20:48:17 +0000
Subject: Re:Mutual Benefit

Dear Sir/Madam

Bythe way of introduction my name is Sani Bello credit officer of Gulf Bank
Plc.

On August 6, 1999, a British consultant/contractor with the Exxon-Mobil Oil
of
Nigerian Corporation, Mr. Philip Brian a British citizen made a numbered
time
(Fixed)Deposit for twelve calendar months. (Eighteen Million Dollars only)
in my
branch. Upon maturity ,I sent a routine notification to his forwarding
address but
got no reply.

After a month, we sent a reminder and finally we discovered from his
contract
employers,the Nigeria Solid Minerals Corporation that Mr. Philip Brian died
from a
boat mishap.

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. Philip Brian
did not
declare any kin or relations in all his official documents, including his
Bank Deposit
paperwork in my Bank. This sum of US$18,000,000.00 is still sitting in my
Bank
and
the interest is being rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each
year. No
one will ever come forward to claim it. According to Laws of Nigeria , at
the
expiration of 5 (five) years, the money will revert to the ownership of the
Nigerian
Government if nobody applies to claim the fund.

Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as a foreigner to stand in
as the
nextof kin to Mr. Philip Brian so that the fruits of this old man's labor
will not get into
the hands of some corrupt government officials. This is simple, I will like
you to
provide immediately your full names and address so that the attorney will
prepare
the necessary documents and affidavits that will put you in place as the
next of
kin.

The money will be paid into your account for us to share in the ratio of 65%
for me
and 30%for you and 5% for Expenses Incurred in the course of the transaction
.
There is no risk at all as all the paperwork for this transaction will be
done by the
attorney and with my position as the credit officer guarantees the
successful
execution of this transaction.

Upon your response, I shall then provide you with more details

You should observe utmost confidentiality, and rest assured that this
transactionwould be most profitable for both of us because I shall require
your
assistance to invest my share in your country.

Awaiting your quick reply.

Sincerely
Sani Bello


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