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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: "JOHN DARLINGTON" <johndarl2000@msn.com>
Reply-To: johndarl2000@googlemail.com
Date: Wed, 05 Oct 2005 13:19:29 +0000
Subject: get in touch

Dear Jeremy,
Compliment of the day to you. This mail will definitely be coming to you as
a surprise, but I just crave your indulgence to introduce myself to you, I
am Mr.John Darlinghton,an American by nationality and Managing Director Bond
bank international. However I got your contact through the International web
directory. During our recent investigation, reconciliation and auditing of
the bank's account my department discovered a dormant account with a huge
amount of Money Valued at about fifteen million Dollars (15,000,000.00) that
belongs to One of our late Customer MR. Schmuck, from Beverwijk,
Netherlands, who died with his family in a plane crash 14 years ago.So the
fund has been dormant in his account with my Bank without any claim of the
fund in our custody either, from his Family or relation before our discovery
to this development.
The Banking law here stipulates that if such money remains unclaimed for 15
years, it will be forfeited to the Bank Treasury as an unclaimed bill. It is
only a foreigner that can stand as a next of kin and it is upon this
discovery that I decided to contact you to collaborate with you to pull out
this dormant fund. In order to avert this negative development, On behalf of
my trusted colleagues we now seek your permission to have you stand in as
next of kin to Our late Customer so that the fund will be released and paid
into your account as the beneficiary next of kin now that the bank is still
expecting a next of kin or relative of the deceased, MR. Schmuck.I would
like you to provide a bank account where this fund can be transfered to,even
an empty bank account will be sufficient.
However, on smooth conclusion of this transaction, you will be entitled to
40% of the total fund, while 10% will be set aside to take care of expenses
on both sides that may arise during the time of transfer and also for
telephone bills, and the remaining 50% will be for me.What I want from you
is for you to act as the deceased next of kin. I have in my possession, all
the necessary Documents to successfully accomplish the operation. Bear in
mind that this proposal is 100% risk free. Further Information will be given
to you as soon as I receive your positive response.I suggest you get back to
me as soon as possible stating your wish. For confidentiality please contact
me as soon as possible

Yours Faithfully
(Mr.John Darlinghton)
Managing Director
Bond Bank International



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