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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: "gana bello" <ganabello200q@msn.com>
Reply-To: ganabello1@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 11 Oct 2005 11:22:25 +0000
Subject: from gana bello

VERY CONFIDENTIAL
ROM: MR. GANA BELLO
TEL:234-1-4358206
DEAR SIR


I AM THE MANAGER OF BILLS AND EXCHANGE AT THE FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT
OF THE ACCESS BANK PLC.I AM WRITING THIS LETTER TO ASK FOR SUPPORT AND
CO-OPERATION TO CARRY OUT THIS BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY IN MY DEPARTMENT.


WE DISCOVER AN ABANDONED SUM OF US$5,000,000.00 (FIVE MILLION UNITED STATES
DOLLARS ONLY) IN AN ACCOUNT THAT BELONGS TO ONE OF OUR FOREIGN CUSTOMER WHO
DIED ALONG WITH HIS ENTIRE FAMILY IN NOVEMBER 2002 IN A PLANE CRASH.

SINCE WE GOT INFORMATION ABOUT HIS DEATH WE HAVE BEEN EXPECTING HIS NEXT OF
KIN TO COME OVER AND CLAIM HIS MONEY BECAUSE WE CANNOT RELEASE THE MONEY
UNLESS SOMEBODY APPLIES FOR IT AS THE NEXT OF KIN OR RELATION TO THE
DECEASED AS INDICATED IN OUR BANKING GUIDELINES .


UNFORTUNATELY, NEITHER THE FAMILY MEMBER NOR THE RELATION HAS APPEARED TO
CLAIM THIS MONEY, AT THIS DISCOVERY, I AND OTHER OFFICIALS IN THE DEPARTMENT
NOW DECIDED TO DO BUSINESS WITH YOU AND RELEASE THE MONEY TO YOU AS THE NEXT
OF KIN OR RELATION OF THE DECEASE FOR SAFETY AND SUBSEQUENT DISBURSEMENT
SINCE NOBODY IS COMING FOR IT AND WE DON'T WANT THIS MONEY TO GO INTO THE
BANK TREASURY AS AN UNCLAIMED DEBT.


THE BANKING LAW AND GUIDELINES OF ACCESS BANK PLC STIPULATES THAT IF SUCH
MONEY REMAINED UNCLAIMED FOR A PERIOD OF THREE (3) YEARS IT WILL BE
TRANSFERRED INTO THE BANK TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED FUND.


THE NEED FOR A FOREIGNER AS NEXT OF KIN IN THIS BUSINESS IS OCCASSIONED BY
THE FACT THAT THE CUSTOMER WAS A FOREIGNER AND A NIGERIAN CANNOT STAND AS
HIS NEXT OF KIN OR HEIR.


WE AGREED THAT 30% OF THE MONEY WILL BE FOR YOU AS FOREIGN PARTNER, THERE
AFTER MY COLLEAGUE AND I WILL VISIT YOUR COUNTRY FOR DISBURSEMENT ACCORDING
TO THE PERCENTAGE INDICATED.


THEREFORE, TO ENABLE THE IMMEDIATE TRANSFER OF THE FUND TO YOU AS INDICATED.
YOU MUST APPLY TO THE BANK AS A RELATION OR NEXT OF KIN OF THE DECEASED,
INDICATING YOUR BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER AND LOCATIONWHEREIN THE MONEY WILL BE
REMITTED.


UPON RECEIPT OF REPLY BY MAIL, I WILL SEND TO YOU BY MAIL THE TEXT OF
APPLICATION. AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS LETTER YOU SHOULD CONTACT ME
IMMEDIATELY AND INDICATE YOUR DIRECT FAX AND CONFIDENTIAL TELEPHONE NUMBER
FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION TRUSTING TO HEAR FROM YOU iMMEDIATELY ON MY
EMAIL ADDRESS.{ganabello@ummah.org}

YOURS FAITHFULLY,

GANA BELLO


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