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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.

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Fraud email example:

From: "Chris Ofala" <chrisofala2@msn.com>
Reply-To: chrisofala0@yahoo.ca
Date: Thu, 01 Dec 2005 09:37:05 +0000
Subject: GOOD DAY

FROM THE DESK OF THE DIRECTOR
FOREIGN OPERATION REMITTANCE
UNION BANK NIGERIA PLC APAPA BRANCH.



Attn ,

I am Dr.Chris Ofala, Director of Operation Foreign Remittance with the Union
Bank of Nigeria, Plc. I am writing this letter to ask for your assistance
and co-operation to carry out this business.

In my department we discovered abandoned sum of EUR40.Million, that was
deposited to our correspondence bank in Luxembourg,(DEXIA BANQUE INT).
through Luxembourg stock exchange in an account that belongs to one of our
foreign customers an American late Engineer and an oil merchant with the
Federal Government of Nigeria Late Eng. Frank Creek (Junior) who died along
with his entire family of a wife and two children in Kenya Air Bus
(A310-300) flight Kq430 in November 1997.

Since we heard of his death, we have been expecting his next of kin to come
over and put claims for his money as the heir because we cannot release the
fund from his account unless someone applies for claim as the next of kin to
the deceased as indicated in our banking guide lines.

Unfortunately, neither his family member nor distant relative has applied to
claim the said fund. Upon this discovery, I and others officials in my
department have agreed to make business with you and release the Total
amount to you. We decided to make this business with you because no persons
have come for the claim of the fund and we want to avoid it from being
returned to our Bank treasury as unclaimed fund.

The terms of sharing can only be discussed if you indicate your willingness
in assisting us. And also we can give you the proofs of the fund to enable
you confirm from your local bank there.

Anticipating hearing from you.

Regards

Dr. Chris Ofala
Union Bank Nig. Plc


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