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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.

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Fraud email example:

From: "michael wood" <michaelwood@link-mailnet.com>
Reply-To: michaelwood_17@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2005 06:19:07 +0000
Subject: Next of kin



Dear Friend

I am Barrister.Mr Michael Wood. the Personal Attorney to a Foreign
Contractor, Engineer. T Thomas, a National of your country, who is a
contractor with the DEPARTMENT OF PETROLEUM RESOURCES,VICTORIA ISLAND LAGOS.
Here in after shall be referred to as my client On 30 JAN 2000,my client,
his wife and their three children were involved in the Kenya Airways flight
with registration number 5Y-BEN which departed from Nairobi to destination
Lagos and all the passengers on-board and the flight crew, including his
family died in this fatal aircrash on 30 JAN 2000.

Since then I have made several inquiries to Several Embassies to locate any
of my clients extended relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful.After
these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his relatives over
the Internet, to locate any member of his family but of no avail, hence I
contacted you. I have contacted you to assist me in repatriating the money
left behind by my clientbefore they get confiscated or declared
unserviceableby the Bank where this huge deposits were lodged.

Particularly, the Bank where the deceased had an account valued at about
US$20Million Bank has issued me a notice to provide the next of
kin,relatives so that the fund left will be transferred or have the account
confiscated within the next twenty official working days.

Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the the relatives for over 3
years now I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin to the
deceased so that the proceeds of this account valued at US$20Million can be
paid to you and then you and I can share this money. 70% to me and 25% to
you,while 5% should be for expenses or tax as your Government may require.
All I require is your honest and co-operation to enable us seethis deal
through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate
arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.I will want you
to send to me on your return email the following information for the
transfer in your favour.

1, Your full names

2, Your contact address

3, Your private phone and fax numbers where we will be communicating to each
other.

I will want you to send your reply to . as soon as you get this mail to
enable us discuss on the modalities and process for success of this
transaction. I await your kind response, Good day and God bless. You can
also reply to my alternative email:
Regards,
Barrister Michael Wood


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