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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: "Sylvester Nyak." <svester@halejob.com>
Date: Thu, 6 Oct 2005 12:16:19
Subject: Thursday 6th October,2005 Mail.

Goodday,

I am Sylvester Nyakunengwa Bank Manager of South Bank Holdings LTD,Zimbabwe and i have a viable business proposition profitable to both of us.

On June 6, 2002,a Foreign Oil consultant/contractor with the Zimbabwean Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Mr.Paul Farrel made a numbered time(Fixed) Deposit of a huge sum of funds
(Twenty-six million dollars) for twelve calendar months,in my branch.

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 Institute of Mining
and Metallurgy that Mr.Paul Farrel 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.Paul Farrel did not declare any kin or relations in all his official documents,including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank. This sum
of money has carefully been fixed in my bank for safekeeping.

No one will ever come forward to claim it.According to Zimbabwean Law,at the expiration of 5 (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 in as the owner of the money which was fixed deposited in my bank.

The money will be moved out for us to share in a ratio we will both agree on.

If you are interested, please reply immediately via my email address and Upon your response, I shall then provide you with more details that will help you understand the transaction.

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 real estate within your country.

Awaiting your prompt reply via email.

Regards.

S.Nyakunengwa.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

South Bank Holdings Ltd
1st Floor, Park House
P.O. Box 661416
20 Park Street
Harare,Zimbabwe.


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