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: "Ade Niran" <clearance002@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: pacific51@excite.com
Date: Sun, 11 Sep 2005 18:13:50 +0000
Subject: Awaiting your confirmation!

My dear friend,

I write this mail in confidence, believing that it will reach you in high
spirit and I also believe that you will maintain the level of confidence and
trust that this business deal requires. Though I know that this deal may
make you apprehensive and worried, I assure you that all will be well at the
end of the day.
I am a banker with one of the banks in Lagos, Nigeria. I have urgent and
very confidential business proposition for you. On June 6, 2000, a
Zimbabwean farmer/businessman made a numbered time (Fixed) deposit for
twelve calendar
months, valued at US$15,320,000.00 (Fifteen million, three hundred and
twenty thousand United States dollars) in my branch.

Upon maturity, I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but
got no reply. After a month, I sent a reminder and finally we discovered
fromhis co-farmer who previously had a joint account with him in my bank
that he died in the land crisis in Zimbabwe. On further investigation, I
found out that he did not leave a WILL and all attempts to trace his next of
kin were fruitless. I therefore made further investigation and discovered
that he did not declare any next of kin in all his official documents,
including his Bank Deposit paperwork.

This sum of US$15,320,000.00 is still sitting in the Bank and the interest
is being rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year. No one
will come forward to claim it. According to the Nigerian Law, at the
expiration of 6 (six) years, the money will revert to the ownership of the
Nigerian Government {STATE} if nobody applies to claim the funds.
Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as a foreigner to stand in
as his next of kin so that the fruits of this old man's labour will not get
into the hands of some corrupt officials. I will intimate you with the
requirements that the attorney will need to prepare the necessary documents
and affidavits,which will put
you in place as the next of kin upon your positive response.
We shall employ the services of two attorneys for drafting and notarization
of the WILL and obtain the necessary documents and letter of
probate/administration in your favour for the transfer. A bank account in
any part of the world, which you 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 30% for
you, There is no risk at all as all the paperwork for this transaction will
be done by the attorney and my position in the bank guarantees the
successful execution of this transaction.


Upon your positive response, I shall let you know who I am, the name of my
bank and the name of thedeceased. I will also provide you with more details
and relevant documents that will put you in a clearer picture of this
pending transaction.


Please 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 .

Yours faithfully.

Ade Niran


Anti-fraud resources: