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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: "kayode Sofola" <kayodesofola@msn.com>
Date: Wed, 20 Jul 2005 18:23:33 +0000
Subject: RE: READ CAREFULLY AND GET BACK TO ME IMMEDIATELY..

FROM THE DESK OF:
MR. KAYODE SOFOLA (SAN).
CHAIRMAN BOARD OF DIRECTORS
UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC.
MARINA-BRANCH,LAGOS.
ALTERNATIVE EMAIL:mailto: kayodesofola55@sify.com

HELLO DEAR,

MY NAME IS MR. KAYODE SOFOLA (SAN), THE CHAIRMAN BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF
UNITED BANK FOR AFRICAPLC. I AM WRITING INRESPECT OF A FOREIGN CUSTOMER OF
MY BANK WITH ACCOUNT NUMBER14-255-2004/UBA/T WHO PERISHED IN A PLANE CRASH
(KOREAN AIR FLIGHT 801) WITH THE WHOLE PASSENGERS ABOARD ON AUGUST 6, 1997.

SINCE THE DEMISE OF THIS OUR CUSTOMER, I PERSONALLY HAS WATCHED WITH KEEN
INTEREST TO SEE THE NEXT OF KIN BUT ALL HAS PROVED ABORTIVE AS NOONE HAS
COME TO CLAIM HIS FUNDS OF$45M, (FORTY MILLION FIVE HUNDRED UNITED STATES
DOLLARS) WHICH HAS BEEN WITH MY BRANCH FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

ON THIS NOTE, I DECIDED TO SEEK FOR WHOM HIS NAME SHALL BE USED AS THE NEXT
OF KIN AS NO ONE HAS COME UPTO BE THE NEXT OF KIN. AND THE BANKING ETHICS
HERE DOES NOT ALLOW SUCH MONEY TO STAY IN VIEW OF THIS I GOT YOUR CONTACT
WHILE SEARCHING THROUGH THE INTERNET AFTER REALIZING THAT YOUR NAME AND
COUNTRY IS SIMILAR TO THE DECEASED. I WILL GIVE YOU 30% OF THE TOTAL SUM.

UPON THE RECEIPT OF YOUR RESPONSE, I WILL SEND YOU BY E-MAIL THE APPLICATION
OF CLAIM AND THE NEXT STEP TO TAKE. I WILL NOT FAIL TO BRING TO YOUR NOTICE
THAT THIS BUSINESS IS HITCH FREE, AND YOU SHOULD NOT ENTERTAIN ANY FEAR AS
ALL MODALITIES FOR FUND TRANSFER CAN BE FINALIZED WITHIN FIVE BANK WORKING
DAYS,AFTER YOU APPLY TO THE BANK AS A RELATION TO THE DECEASED.

WHEN YOU RECEIVE THIS LETTER. KINDLY SEND ME AN E-MAIL THROUGH MY LTERNATIVE
EMAIL: kayodesofola55@yahoo.it, SIGNIFYING YOUR DECISION INCLUDING YOUR
PRIVATE TEL/FAX NUMBERS FOR QUICK COMMUNICATION. ANY DELAY IN YOUR REPLY
WILL GIVE ME ROOM INSOURCING ANOTHER PERSON FOR THIS SAME PURPOSE. PLEASE
ASSURE ME THAT YOU WILL ACT ACCORDINGLY AS I STATED HEREIN. FOR IMMEDIATE
COMMENCEMENT ON THIS TRANSACTION, RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED.

BEST REGARDS,

MR. KAYODE SOFOLA (SAN).
CHAIRMAN BOARD OF DIRECTORS
UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC.


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