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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: "Ding Xiang" <dingxiang@ddingxiangg.com>
Date: Tue, 23 Aug 2005 16:43:01 +0000
Subject: Good DaY!!!

FROM THE DESK OF:
MR DING XIANGSHENG
BANK OF CHINA
SHENZHEN BRANCH,
REPUBLIC OF CHINA.

Dear Friend,

How are you today and business in your country? I am Mr.Ding Xiang, Bank
Manager of bank of China, Shenzhen Branch, China. I would respectfully
request that you keep the contents of this mail confidential and respect
the integrity of the information you come by as a result of this mail. I
contacted you independently of our investigation and no one is informed of
this communication. I would like to intimate you with certain facts that I
believe would be of interest to you. I know you would be wondering why I am
writing you with a request such as this but I only urge you to read on.

In November 1998, a British Oil consultant/contractor with the Chinese Solid
Minerals Corporation, Mr. Robert Rice made a numbered time (Fixed) Deposit
for twelve calendar months Upon maturity, I sent a routine notification to
his forwarding address in America and Britain but got no reply. After a
month, we sent a reminder and finally we discovered from his contract
employers, the Chinese Solid Minerals Corporation that Mr. Robert Rice died
alongside his wife, from an airplane crash.

The bank immediately launched an investigation into possible surviving next
of kin to alert about the situation and also to come forward to claim his
estate. If you are familiar with private banking affairs, those who
patronize our services usually prefer anonymity, but also some levels of
detachment from conventional processes. In his bio-data form, he listed no
next of kin. In the field of private banking, opening an account with us
means no one will know of its existence, accounts are rarely held under a
name; depositors use numbers and codes to make the accounts anonymous. This
bank also gives the choice to depositors of having their mail sent to them
or held at the bank itself, ensuring that there are no traces of the
account and as I said, rarely do they nominate next of kin. Private banking
clients apart from not nominating next of kin also usually in most cases
leave wills in our care, in this case; Mr. Rice died interstate.

In line with our internal processes for account holders who have passed
away, we instituted our own investigations in good faith to determine who
should have right to claim the estate. This investigation has for the past
months been unfruitful. We have scanned every continent and used our private
investigation affiliate companies to get to the root of the problem. This
money has since been 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 the Laws of Republic of China, at the expiration of 6 (six)
years, the money will revert to the ownership of the Chinese Government if
nobody applies to claim the funds. What I wish to relate
to you will smack of unethical practice but I want you to understand
something. It is only an outsider to the banking world who finds the
internal politics of the banking world aberrational. The world of
banking especially is fraught with huge rewards for those who occupy
certain offices and oversee certain portfolios. You should have begun by
now to put together the general direction of what I propose. I alone have
the deposit details and they will release the deposit to no one unless
evidence of relationship with the deceased, which I shall provide you with,
is presented. I alone know of the existence of this deposit for as far as
Bank of China is concerned, the bank's management has no single idea of
what’s the history or nature of the deposit. They are simply awaiting
instructions to release the deposit to any party that comes forward.

This is the situation. This bank has spent great amounts of money trying to
track this man’s family; they have investigated for months and have found
no family. The investigation has come to an end. Consequently, my proposal
is that I will like you as a foreigner to stand in as the next of kin to
Mr. Robert Rice so that the fruits of this old man's labour will not get
into the hands of some corrupt government officials. Acting in this capacity
really is simple, all you have to do is provide your full names and address
so that an attorney here can 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 authentication,approval and aletterofprobate/administration in
your favour for the transfer to be done. A bank account in any part of the
world that you then provide me with 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
share80/20.

I am aware of the consequences of this proposal. I ask that if you find no
interest in this project that you should discard this mail. I ask that you
do not be vindictive and destructive. If my offer is of no
appeal to you, delete this message and forget I ever contacted you. Do not
destroy my career because you do not approve of my proposal. You may not
know this but people like myself who have made tidy sums out of comparable
situations run the whole private banking sector. I am not a criminal and
what I do, I do not find against good conscience, this may be hard for you
to understand, but the dynamics of my industry dictates that I make this
move. Such opportunities only come ones' way once in a lifetime. I cannot
let this chance pass me by, for once I find myself in total control of my
destiny. This is my chance and i wont let it pass me by. I ask that you do
not destroy my chance, if you will not work with me let me know and let me
move on with my life but do not destroy me. I am a family man and this is an
opportunity to provide my family with new opportunities. There is a reward
for this project and it is a task well worth undertaking. I have evaluated
the risks and the only risk I have here is from you refusing to work with
me and alerting my bank.

There is no risk whatsoever as all the paperwork for this transaction will
be done by the attorney and my position as the Branch Manager guarantee the
successful execution of this transaction. If you are
interested in this lucrative role, I urge you to indicate to that effect.

Upon your response, if favourable, I shall then provide you with more
details and relevant information that will help you get full understanding
of the transaction. I will appreciate it if you send me your confidential
telephone and fax numbers for easier communication.

If you find yourself able to work with me, contact me through this email
address. If you give me positive signals, I will initiate this process
towards a conclusion. I wish to inform you that should you contact me via
official channels; I will deny knowing you and about this project. I
repeat, I do not want you contacting me through my official phone lines nor
do I want you contacting me through my official email account. Contact me
only through the numbers I will provide for you and also through this email
address. I do not want any direct link between you and I. My official lines
are not secure lines as they are periodically monitored to assess our level
of customer care in line with our Total QualityManagement Policy. Please
observe this instruction religiously. Please, again, note I am a family
man, I have a wife and children. I send you this mail not without a measure
of fear as to what the consequences may be, but I know within me that
nothing ventured is nothing gained and that success and riches never come
easy or on a platter of gold. This is the one truth I have learned from my
private banking clients. Do not betray my confidence. If we can be of one
accord, we should plan a meeting, soon.

In closing, please observe utmost confidentiality, and be 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.
Upon receiving your reply, I will then furnish you with a more
comprehensive detail of this transaction and what is required of you.

Please respond to my confidential e-mail box dng_xiang@yahoo.co.in

Thanks in anticipation of your cooperation.

Yours Sincerely,

Mr.Ding Xiang.



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