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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: "MAXWELL NGOLO" <maxwellzn00@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: maxwellzn@kikumail.com
Date: Sat, 22 Oct 2005 10:54:36 +0000
Subject: RE_URGENT PLEASE

UNION BANK OF NIG..plc,
PLOT 5/8;ODEKU AVE;
VICTORIA-ISLAND BRANCH,
LAGOS,NIGERIA.
DATE:
Dear.Sir,
I Mr.maxwell Z.Ngolo is the Bank Manager of the above Bank
branch for the past 15years.
There is this clients of ours by name "Chief
Dr.KEN.O.Amanze"
with the Account number 1215216914KJB since 1986 up till
date nobody has ever come forward nor made withdrawals from
this account.Now I have to search for the Account opening
forms,it was then I found out that the Account has long
remained dormant not that it was in a fixed deposit rather
in a domiciliary current Account.And the total sum in this
very account amounted to the sum of "USD20MILLION".
I therefore through the account opening form decided to
trace the clients to know exactly why the account is
dormant for the past years without making further deposits
or withdrawals?
To my surprise I was told by the people around that "Chief
Dr,Ken "died in a car crash since 1992 with his family of
three on their way home to their village during one of
their festive season.I even goes at lenght of enquiring if
at all there is a relation of his?All to no avail.
Since the past 10years I carry this enquiries,the account
still remain same as there was no "next of kin"to this very
client.Now having given this much thought, I then decided
to make fast with the said sum;but I cannot do it alone
without the help of a foreigner to assist in this DEAL.
I therefore hereby request that you please assist me by
claiming that you are the next of kin to Chief Dr.Ken
O.Amanze.I also assure you that there is no risk involved
in this DEAL and that it is risk free and 100percent
genuine as there is no iota of doubt or fear.Always bear in
mind that with your little assistance and cooperation that
we will succede in claiming the said sum.Since I am at the
helm of the Bank (branch).
I have also promise that the said sum if transfered into
your Account/corporate account will be shared 25% -
65%.I.E,25% will be yours while 65%comes to me and the
remaing 10%goes for every expenses we might incure during
the transaction.Please try to keep this DEAL secret and
never to disclose it to a third party for security reasons.
Thanks as I await hearing from you soon.
Yours truly,
Max.Z.Ngolo mbsp.


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