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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: "john kabango" <john_kabango@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 20 Jul 2005 12:12:55 +0200
Subject: STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL

FROM .JOHN KABANGO
II PACKLINE YOVELL.
JOHANNESBURG,
SOUTH AFRICA
TEL:27-82-812-4241

ATTN: Gast,

I am the manager of bills and Exchange at the foreign Remittance Department
of the First National Bank of South Africa Ltd. I am writing the following
impressive information about you through the South
African Exchange. In my department,we discovered and abandoned the sum of
US$26.8 Million in a non-resident account that belongs to one foreign
customer who died along with his entire family in November 1998 in a ghastly
plane crash.

Since we got information about his death, we have been expecting his next of
kin to come over and claim his money because we cannot release it unless
somebody applies for it as next Kin or relation to the deceased as indicated
in our banking guidelines,but unfortunately, no body has ever come for the
claim. It is therefore upon this discovery that I and other Officials in the
department decided to make business
with you and release the money to you as the next of Kin or relative of the
deceased for safety and subsequently disbursement account as an unclaimed
bill.

The banking law and guidelines here in South Africa stipulate that if such
money remained unclaimed after five years, it will be transferred into the
State/Government accounts as unclaimed fund. The request for a foreigner as
the next of Kin in this business is occasioned by the fact that a South
African cannot stand as next kin to a foreigner.Meanwhile, we agree that 25%
of this money will be for your assistance as a percentages as indicated.
Therefore, to enable us apply to the bank as a relative or next of Kin to
the deceased indicating your company’s name and bank account and the
location wherein this money will be remitted upon receipt of your reply. Fax
the text your application.

Contact me immediately through the above phone number and indicate your
direct confidential TEL/FAX number for effective communication required.
This will work out as soon as you reply.Trusting to hear from you
immediately.

Yours faithfully.
MR JOHN KABANGON(for the board)

_________________________________________________________________
Find a date, consult a directory and win prizes - only on MSN South Africa!
http://www.msn.co.za/

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