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: "MR FRANK WANG" <frankwang74@msn.com>
Reply-To: frankwang01@cooperation.net
Date: Tue, 12 Jul 2005 18:38:21 +0000
Subject: lets do busniess together

FROM THE DESK OF:
MR.Frank Wang
HANG SENG BANK LTD.
DES VOEUX RD.BRANCH
CENTRAL HONG KONG
HONG KONG.

Dear Sir/madam,

I am Mr.FRANK WANG, credit officer of Hang Seng Bank Ltd. I have an urgent
and very onfidential business proposition for you.On June 6, 2000, a British
Oil consultant/contractor with the Chinese Solid Minerals
Corporation,Mr.Robert Purdy made a numbered time (Fixed) Deposit for
twelve calendar months, valued at US$4.5million (four million five hundred
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 Hong Kong Solid Minerals Corporation that Mr.
Robert Purdy 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.Robert Purdy did not declare any kin or relations in all
his official documents,including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank.This
sum of US$4.5 million dollars 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 Hong Kong, at the expiration of
5(five) years, the money will revert to the ownership of the Hong Kong
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 next of kin to Mr. Robert Purdy 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.We shall employ
the services of an attorney for drafting and notarization of the WILL and
to obtain the necessary documents and letter of probate/administration in
your favor for the transfer.A bank account in any part of the world that you
will provide will then facilitate the transfer of this money to you as the
beneficiary/next of kin.The money will be paid into your account for us to
share in the ratio of 70% for me and 25% 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.

If you are interested,please reply immediately Upon your response, I shall
then provide you with more details and relevant documents that will help
you understand the transaction. Please send me your confidential email and
fax numbers for easy communication as my spoken english is not very good.
You should observe utmost confidentiality, and rest assured that this
transaction would be most profitable for both of us because I shall require
your assistance to invest my share in your
country.

Awaiting your urgent reply.
Thanks and regards.
Mr.FRANK WANG.



Anti-fraud resources: