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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: "kelvin nwosu" <kelvin_okenwosu@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 30 Sep 2005 10:07:55 +0000
Subject: YOUR ASSISTANCE

Mr. Kelvin Nwosu
First Atlantic Bank PLC
4/6 Adetokunbo Ademola Street
P. O. Box 75369
Victoria Island, Lagos-Nigeria
Email;kelvin_nwosu@zipmail.com.br
website: www.firstatlanticbank.com

Dear

This letter may come to you as a surprise due to thefact that we have not
yet met. The message could be
strange but real if you pay some attention to it. Icould have notified you
about it at least for the sake
of your integrity. Please accept my sincere apologies.In bringing this
message of goodwill to you, I have to
say that I have no intentions of causing you any
pains.
I am Mr. Kelvin Nwosu, Managing Director/CEO, First Atlantic Bank of
Nigeria. I managed to get your
contact details through the Internet myself. Time is of the importance and I
am desperately looking for a person to assist me in this confidential
business. A British oil consultant/contractor with the Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation, Mr. Claude Brian Best made a numbered time
(Fixed) Deposit on January 6,
1999, valued at US$25,000,000.00 (Twenty- five Million Dollars), for twelve
(12) calender months in my bank.Upon maturity, I sent a routine notification
to his forwarding address but got no reply. After a month, we
sent a reminder and finally we discovered from his contract employers, the
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation that Mr. Claude Brian Best died from
an automobile accident. On further investigation, I found out that he died
without making a WILL, and all attempts to trace his next of kin was
fruitless. I
therefore made further investigation and discovered that Mr. Claude Brian
Best did not declare any kin or relations in all his official documents,
including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank. This sum of
US$25,000,000.00 is still 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 Nigerian Law, at the expiration of 4 (four) years, the money
will revert to the ownership
of the Nigerian Government if nobody applies to claim the fund.
Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as a foreigner to stand in
as the next of kin to Mr. Claude Brian Best so that the fruits of this
old man's labor will not get into the hands of some corrupt government
officials. This is simple, I will
like you to provide immediately your full names and address so that the
attorney will prepare the necessary documents and affidavits that will put
you in place as the next of kin. We shall employ the
service of two lawyers for drafting and notarizationof the WILL and to
obtain the necessary documents and
letter of probate/administration in your favor for the transfer. A bank
account in any part of the world that you will 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 60% for
me and 40% for you.
There is no risk at all as all the paperwork for this transaction will be
done by the attorney and my position as the Managing Director/CEO guarantees
the successful execution of this transaction. If you are
interested,please reply immediately via the private email address below;
Upon your response, All you have
to do is to give me your private address, phone and fax lines I shall then
provide you with more details
and relevant documents that will help you understand the 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 via my email address.
Thanks and regards.

Mr. Kelvin Nwosu


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