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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: "Union Bank World Plc" <info@unionbankworldplc.com>
Reply-To: paulfire@123.com.gt
Date: Sat, 23 Jul 2005 12:10:15 +0000
Subject: VERY URGENT MESSAGE

DEAR FRIEND

GOOD DAY!

WITH WARM HEART I OFFER MY FRIENDSHIP, AND GREETINGS, AND I HOPE THIS MAIL
MEETS YOU IN GOOD TIME. HOWEVER STRANGE OR SURPRISING THIS CONTACT MIGHT
SEEM TO YOU, AS WE HAVE NOT MET PERSONALLY OR HAD ANY DEALINGS IN THE PAST,
I HUMBLY ASK THAT YOU TAKE DUE CONSIDERATION OF ITS IMPORTANCE AND IMMENSE
BENEFIT.

I MUST APOLOGIZE TO YOU FOR USING THIS MEDIUM TO COMMUNICATE TO YOU ABOUT
THIS PROJECT. I AM SORRY IF THIS LETTER COMES TO YOU AS AN EMBARRASSMENT BUT
BE REST ASSURED THAT YOUR PARTICULARS OF CONTACT WAS GIVEN TO ME AFTER A DUE
SEARCH, FOR RELIABLE AND CAPABLE FOREIGNER THAT WILL HANDLE CONFIDENTIALLY A
TRANSFER OF HUGE SUM OF MONEY, FROM UNION BANK WORLD PLC, TO A FOREIGN BANK
ACCOUNT.

I AM MR. PAUL AN AFRICAN BORN NIGERIAN CITIZEN AND ACCOUNT OFFICER TO LATE
ENGR. WILLY BUBENIK, A FOREIGN NATIONALITY, WHO USED TO WORK WITH JULIUS
BERGER NIGERIA PLC IN NIGERIA. ON 19TH AUGUST 2002, OUR LATE CUSTOMER ENGR.
WILLY BUBENIK WAS INVOLVED IN A GHASTLY MOTOR ACCIDENT WITH HIS FAMILY
NORTHWARDS, DURING WHICH HE LOST HIS LIFE WITH HIS WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN.

UNFORTUNATELY, SINCE WE GOT THE INFORMATION ABOUT HIS SUDDEN DEATH AND THE
UGLY INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED, THE MANAGEMENT OF MY BANK MADE SEVERAL
ENQUIRIES ON LOCATING ANY OF HIS EXTENDED RELATIVES WHO CAN STAND AS HIS
NEXT OF KIN TO INHERIT AN ESTATE HE LEFT BEHIND IN OUR CUSTODY BUT ALL THESE
SEVERAL EFFORTS ALSO PROVED UNSUCCESSFUL AND YIELDED NO RESULTS.
AS HIS PERSONAL ACCOUNT OFFICER/MENTOR, I ALSO MADE CONCERTED EFFORTS AIMED
AT LOCATING A POSSIBLE NEXT OF KIN TO MY DECEASED CLIENT. WHAT I ACTUALLY
WANT TO DO IS TO PRESENT YOU TO MY BANK AS A NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASED
CLIENT OF MINE TO ENABLE US PLACE CLAIMS ON A TOTAL SUM OF
(US$32,624,000.00), HE DEPOSITED IN MY GOOD BANK FOR SAFE KEEPING BEFORE HIS
UNTIMELY DEATH.

I AM CONTACTING YOU TO ASSIST IN REPATRIATING THE STATED SUM HE LEFT BEHIND
BEFORE THEY GET CONFISCATED OR DECLARED UNSERVICEABLE BY THE BANK.

THIS INTENSION BECOMES VERY URGENT DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE BANKING LAWS AND
POLICY HERE IN NIGERIA STIPULATES AND PROVIDES THAT IF SUCH FUNDS REMAINS
UNCLAIMED AFTER FIVE YEARS, THAT THE BANK IS LEGALLY EMPOWERED TO FREEZE
SUCH ACCOUNTS AND THE FUND TRANSFERRED INTO THE FEDERAL RESERVE ACCOUNT AS
UNCLAIMED FUND.

RECENTLY THE UNION BANK NIGERIA PLC ISSUED A NOTICE OF CONFISCATION, AS THE
ACCOUNT HAD REMAINED UNSERVICEABLE SINCE 2001, I WAS SUBSEQUENTLY GIVEN A
MANDATE OF 21 OFFICIAL BANKING DAYS TO PRODUCE A NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASED
OR CONSIDER THE ACCOUNT FROZEN. DUE TO TIME CONSTRAIN AND THE FACT THAT I
WAS UNSUCCESSFUL IN LOCATING ANY RELATIVE TO MY CLIENT, I THEN WISH TO SEEK
YOUR CONSENT TO PRESENT YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASED CLIENT OF
MINE. SO THAT THE PROCEEDS OF THIS ACCOUNT VALUED AT US$32,624,000.00) CAN
BE RELEASED THROUGH YOU FOR OUR GENERAL BENEFIT INSTEAD OF ALLOWING HIS
SWEAT GET LOST IN THE BANK.

BE INFORMED THAT I HAVE IN MY POSSESSION ALL NECESSARY INFORMATION THAT WE
SHALL REQUIRE TO BACK-UP OUR CLAIMS. I SHALL FURNISH YOU WITH FURTHER
DETAILS AS SOON AS YOU HAVE INDICATED YOUR INTEREST TO RENDER THE DESIRED
ASSISTANCE.

FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME ON MY PRIVATE EMAIL ADDRESS STATED AS FOLLOWS, (
paulfire@123.com.gt ) TO ENABLE US COMMENCE ACTIONS ON THIS DEAL INSTANTLY.
YOUR GENUINE/HONEST COOPERATION IS REQUIRED TO ENABLE US ACHIEVE THIS
PURPOSE; I GUARANTEE THAT THE ENTIRE TRANSACTION WILL BE EXECUTED UNDER A
LEGITIMATE ARRANGEMENTS.

THANKS,

YOURS TRULY,
MR. PAUL FIRE
DIRECT TELEPHONE: 234-804-2230170


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