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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.

 

 

Please note about this email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Martins West" <west_martins@msn.com>
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 2005 10:27:31 +0000
Subject: URGENT RESPONSE.

Dear Friend,

Compliment of the season.I am Mr West Martins . The group branch manager of
Bond Bank Limited.I am wrtting in respect of a foreign customer of my
bank(Mr Harrison MC Philip).Who perished with his family in an auto crash
accident in Lagos Abuja express way, in Nigeria.on the 15th Of June 2001.

Since the demise of Mr Harrison Philip,I personal have watched with Keen
interest to see the next of kin but all has proved abortive as no one has
come to claim his funds of $USD5.410Million,Five million,Four Hundred and
Ten Thousand United States Dollars has been with our Bank here for a very
long Time, which has accumulated some interest.

On this note i decided to seek for your assistance if you will be
interested, your name shall be use as the next of kin ,as no one has come up
to put claim as the next of kin to this fund as the banking ethics here does
not allow such money to stay more that five years,because after five years
the money will be called Back to the Bank Treasury as Unclaimed Bill. And
that is what i don't want it to happen.

I am convinced in my mind that your name could be used as the next of kin to
this claim. The request of the foreigner as a next of kin in this business
is occasioned by the fact that the customer was a foreigner to my country
and a Nigerian can not stand as the next of kin to a foreigner.

I have agreed to share this money with you in the mutual understand of 70%
/30%. You keep 30% while i keep 70% .Thereafter i will visit your country,
for disbursement as i am almost due for retirement.

Therefore to endeavour the immediate transfer of this fund to your account,
you have to apply first to the bank as the next of kin to the deceased
indicating by sending an application and location were the money will be
remitted .

I will not fail to bring to your notice that this business is 100% risk free
and that you should not entertain any fear as the whole required arrangement
has been perfected for the transfer
Do not hesitate to reply me through this email address west_martins1@yahoo.co.uk  if you are interested.

Kind regards
West Martins

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