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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: "Mr. Simon Wong" <sim_wong01@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2005 14:36:48 +0100
Subject: HELLO!!! REPLY ASAP


 
 FROM THE DESK OF:
MR.Simon Wong
HANG SENG BANK LTD.
DES VOEUX RD.BRANCH
CENTRAL HONG KONG
HONG KONG.
 
Dear Friend,

I am Mr.Simon Wong, credit officer of Hang
Seng Bank Ltd, Hong Kong. I  have an urgent
and  very confidential business proposition
for you.
 
On october 6, 2001, an American consultant/contractor with  the Chinese Solid  Minerals Corporation,
Mr. Smith Lawrence made a (Fixed) Deposit for
twelve calendar months, valued at US$68,000,000.00 (six-eight Million  Dollars only) 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  Hong Kong Solid Minerals Corporation that Mr. Smith Lawrence 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. Smith Lawrence did not declare any kin or relations in all his  official documents, including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank. This sum of US$68,000,000.00 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 the Hong Kong Law,under china's
foreign and defense affairs,at the expiration
of 5 (five) years,such funds will revert to the ownership of the chinese Government for financing military operations,such as purchasing of arms and ammunitions for the military.
 
 In order to avert this negative development,i will like to seek for your permission as a foreigner to stand as the next of kin to Mr. Smith Lawrence so that the fruits of this old man's labor will not be use for financing weapons which will further enhance the courses of war in the world in general.
 
The money will be paid into your account for us to share in the ratio of 60% for me and 30% for you and 10% for Expenses Incurred in the course of the transaction.There is no risk at all as all the paperwork  for this transaction will be done by my attorney and with my position as the credit officer guarantees the successful execution of this transaction.
 
If you are interested,please reply immediately.

Upon your response, I shall then provide
you with more  details and that will help
you understand the transaction.
 
You should 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.
 
Thanks and regards.
 
Mr.Simon Wong.
 
N/B: I know that this email will come to you as a surprise, considering the fact that it is unsolicited.I quite understand your concern over this matter considering the happenings all over the world, I want to assure you that this is a 100% legitimate and risk
free transaction.Please recontact me via my


 

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