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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.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "PATRICK HICKEY" <patrick_hickey29@msn.com>
Reply-To: patrick_hickey49@msn.com
Date: Sat, 01 Oct 2005 11:49:48 +0000
Subject: LETTER OF INTENT

MR.PATRICK HICKEY
ALLIANCE & LEICESTER BANK PLC.
ADDRESS: 9 LONDON RD, BRIGHTON, BN1 4JA
EMAIL, Patrick_hickey49@msn.com
DATE, 01/10/2005.

ATTENTION,

I AM MR.PATRICK HICKEY.I GOT YOUR CONTACT THROUGH A FRIEND WHO ATTENDED
A TRADE MISSION IN YOUR COUNTRY, BUT I DID NOT DISCLOSE THE NATURE OF THE
BUSINESS TO HIM.I HAVE URGENT AND VERY CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS PROPOSAL
FOR YOU.

ON JUNE 6, 1999, AN AMERICA OIL CONSULTANT/CONTRACTOR, MR.CHARLES
ZONDER, WITH MICOP PETROLEUM COMPANY, MADE A NUMBERED TIME (FIXED) DEPOSIT
FOR
TWELVE CALENDAR MONTHS, VALUED AT £20,700,000.00(TWENTY MILLION SEVEN
HUNDRED THOUSAND BRITISH POUNDS STERLING ONLY) IN MY BRANCH UPON
MATURITY.

I SENT A ROUNTINE 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 MICOP PETROLEUM COMPANY THAT HE DIED IN THE
PLANE CRASH OF 31 OCTOBER 1999[WITH EGYPTIAN 990].

WITH OTHER PASSENGERS ABOAED AS YOU CAN CONFIRM IT YOURSELF VIA THE
WEBSITE BELOW:
WWW.CNN.COM/US/9911/02/EGYPTAIR990.LIST/INDEX.HTML
<HTTP://WWW.CNN.COM/US/9911/02/EGYPTAIR990.LIST/INDEX.HTML

ON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I FOUND OUT THAT HE DIED WITHOUT MAKING A
WILL, AND ATTEMPTS TO TRACE HIS NEXT OF KIN WAS FRUITLESS I THEREFORE MADE
FURTHER INVESTIGATION ANDDISCOVERED THAT MR. CHARLES ZONDER DID NOT DECLARE
ANY
NEXT OF KIN OR RELATIONS IN ALL HIS OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING HIS BANK
DEPOSIT PAPERWORK IN MY BANK.

THIS SUM OF £20,700,000.00 IS STILL IN MY BANK AND THE INTEREST IS
BEING ROLLED OVER WITH THE PRICIPAL SUM AT THE END OF EACH YEAR. NO ONE WILL
EVER COME FORWARD TO CLAIM IT.

ACCORDING TO GOVERNMENT LAW, AT THE EXPIRATION OF FIVE YEARS, THE MONEY
WILL REVERT TO THE OWNERSHIP OF THE GOVERNMENT IF NOBODY APPLIES TO CLAIM
THE FUND. CONSEQUENTLY, MY PROPOSAL IS THAT I WILL LIKE YOU AS A FOREIGNER
TO STAND AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO MR.CHARLES ZONDER SO THAT THE FRUIT OF THIS
OLD MAN'S LABOUR WILL NOT GET INTO THE HANDS OF SOME CORRUPT GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS.

THIS IS SIMPLE, I WILL LIKE YOU TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATELY YOUR FULL NAME
AND ADDRESS SO THAT THE ATTORNEY WILL PREPARE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS AND
AFFIDAVITS WHICH WILL PUT YOU IN PLACE AS THE NEXT OF KIN.

WE SHALL EMPLOY THE SERVICE OF ONE ATTORNEY FOR THE DRAFTING AND
NOTARIZATION OF THE WILL AND OBTAIN THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS AND LETTER
OF PROBATE/ADMINISTRATION IN YOUR FAVOUR FOR THE TRANSFER.ANY BANK ACCOUNT
IN ANY PART OF THE WORLD WHICH YOU WILL PROVIDE WILL THEN FACILITATE THE
TRANSFER OF THIS MONEY TO YOU AS THE BBENEFICIARY/NEXT OF KIN.

THE MONEY WILL BE PAID INTO YOUR ACCOUNT FOR US TO SHARE IN RATIO OF
60% FOR ME AND 40% FOR YOU.

THERE IS NO RISK AT ALL, THE PAPERWORK FOR THE ATTORNEY AND MY POSITION
AS THE BRANCH MANAGER GUARANTEES WILL Do THE SUCCESSFUL EXECUTION OF THS
TRANSAC TION THIS TRANSACTION. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, PLEASE REPLY
IMMEDIATELY VIA THE PRIVATE EMAIL ADDRESS, BELOW UPON YOUR RESPONCE,I
SHALL PROVIDE YOU WITH MORE DETAILS AND RELEVANT DOCUMENTS THAT WILL HELP
YOU
UNDERSTAND THE TRANSACTION.

PLEASE OBSERVE UTMOST CONFIDENTIALITY AND BE REST ASSURED THAT THIS
TRANSACTION WOULD BE MOST PROFITABLE FOR BOTH OF US BECAUSE I SHALL
REQUIRE YOUR ASSITANCE TO INVEST MY SHARE IN YOUR COUNTRY PLEASE UPON THE
RECIEPT OF THIS MAIL MESSAGE, SEND TO ME THE FOLLOWING,TO ENABLE START THE
PROCESS OF THE FUND INTO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT:

1.YOUR FULL NAME
2.YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS.
3 YOUR HOUSE OR COMPANY ADDRESSES.

IMMEDIATELY I RECIEVE A MAIL INDICATING YOUR INTEREST I SHALL SEND YOU
MORE DETAILS.

FURTHERMORE BE INFORMED THAT THERE WILL BE SOME EXPENSES MOSTLY DURING
THE PROCESSING OF THE AUTHENTICATED LEGAL DOCUMENTS AND APPLICATION OF
AFFIDAVIT OF CLAIM FROM THE LAW COURT IN YOUR FAVOUR.

I AM WAITING FOR YOUR URGENT RESPONCE.

THANKS AND BEST REGARDS,

MR.PATRICK HICKEY


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