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.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: "john" <johnheine@tiscali.co.uk>
Reply-To: johnego2005@i12.com
Date: Fri, 24 Jun 2005 17:05:40 +0200
Subject: GOOD NEWS

GOOD NEWS
FROM THE DESK OF MR EGO
UNION BANK OF NIGERIA PLC
ATTENTION:
DEAR,
STRICTLLY A PRIVATE BUSINESS PROPOSAL

I AM MR EGO, THE MANAGER, BILLS AND EXCHANGE AT THEFOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT
OF THE UNION BANK OF NIGERA PLC. I AM WRITING THIS LETTER TO ASK FOR YOUR
SUPPORT AND COOPERATION TO CARRY OUT THIS
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY IN MY DEPARTMENT.

WE DISCOVERED AN ABANDONED SUM OF $15,000.000.00 (FIFTEEN MILLION UNITED
STATES DOLLARS ONLY) IN AN ACCOUNT THAT BELONGS TO ONE OF OUR FOREIGN CUSTOMERS
WHO DIED ALONG WITH HIS ENTIRE FAMILY OF A WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN IN NOVEMBER
1997 IN A PLANE CRASH.

SINCE WE HARD OF HIS DEATH, WE HAVE BEEN EXPECTING.HIS NEXT-OF-KIN TO COME
OVER AND PUT CLAIMS FOR HIS MONEY AS THE HEIR, BECAUSE WE CANNOT RELEASE
THE FUND FROM HIS ACCOUNT UNLESS SOMEONE APPLIES FOR CLAIM AS THE NEXTOF-KIN
TO THE DECEASED AS INDICATED IN OUR BANKING GUIDELINES.
UNFORTUNATELY, NEITHER THEIR FAMILY MEMBER NOR DISTANT RELATIVE HAS EVER
APPEARED TO CLAIM THE SAID FUND.

UPON THIS DISCOVERY, I AND OTHER OFFICIALS INMY DEPARTMENT HAVE AGREED TO
MAKE BUSINESS WITH YOU AND RELEASE THE TOTAL AMOUNT INTO YOUR ACCOUNT AS
THE HEIR OF THE FUND SINCE NO ONE CAME FOR IT OR DISCOVERED HE MAINTAINED
ACCOUNT WITH OUR BANK, OTHERWISE THE FUND WILL BE RETURNED TO THE BANKS
TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED FUND.WE HAE AGREED THAT OUR RATIO OF SHARING WILL BE
AS STATEDTHUS: 25% FOR YOU AS FOREIGN PARTNER,65% FOR US THE OFFICAIALS IN
MY DEPARTMENT AND 10% FOR THE SETTLEMENT OF ALL LOCAL AND FOREIGN EXPENSES
INCURRED BY US AND YOU DURING THE COURSE OF THIS BUSINESS.UPON THE SUCESSFUL
COMPLETION OF THIS TRANSFER, I AND ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES WILL COME TO YOUR
COUNTRY AND MIND OUR SHARE. IT IS FROM OUR 60% WE INTEND TO IMPORT AGRICULTURAL
MACHINERIES INTO MY COUNTRY AS A WAY OF RECYCLING THE FUND. TO COMMENCE THIS
TRANSACTION, WE REQUIRE YOU TO IMMEDIATELY INDICATE YOUR INTEREST BY A RETURN
E- MAIL AND ENCLOSE YOUR PRIVATE CONTACT TELEPHONE NUMBER, FAX NUMBER FULL
NAME AND ADDRESS AND YOUR DESIGNATED BANK COORDINATES TO ENABLE US FILE
LETTER OF CLAIM TO THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENTS FOR NECESSARY APPROVALS BEFORE
THE TRANSFER CAN BE MADE.
NOTE ALSO, THIS TRANSACTION MUST BE KEPT STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL BECAUSE OF
ITS NATURE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE.
MR EGO


___________________________________________________________

Book yourself something to look forward to in 2005.
Cheap flights - http://www.tiscali.co.uk/travel/flights/
Bargain holidays - http://www.tiscali.co.uk/travel/holidays/




Anti-fraud resources: