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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: "DR./MRS KATE HEINZ" <icb_ghana@mailape.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: icb_frd_gh@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 17 Dec 2005 18:41:37 -0800
Subject: VERY URGENT.

FROM:
INTERNATIONAL
COMMERCIAL BANK LTD.
P. O. Box 200576
Accra - Ghana
Tel: 00 233 21409505
Fax: 00 233 21405968
Email: icb_frd_gh@yahoo.com



TO: THE FAMILY OF:
LATE ENGR.HU CHENG HO.
ADD.G6,Site 11 Whampoa Garden,
Hung Hom,Kowloon.Hong Kong.
E-MAIL:hucheng@hucgold.com
WHOM IT MAY CONCERN.
RE:FUND TRANSFER NOTIFICATION OF US$5.5 MILLION

ATTN:Sir/Madam
WE ARE SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT THE DEATH OF OUR
DEAR CUSTOMER{ENGR.HU CHENG HO} WHO WAS
AMONG THE 104 PASSENGERS KILLED IN A RECENT
PLAN CRASH THAT TOOK PLACE IN NIGERIA,
MAY HIS GENTLY SOUL REST IN PERPECT PEACE,AMEN.
FOLLOWING THE CREDIT ADVICE:
WE WRITE TO TRANSFER THE SUM OF
USD$5.5,000,000.00(FIVE MILLION FIVE
HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS) ONLY,INTO
THE GIVEN BANK ACCOUNT WITH US BY OUR
LATE CUSTOMER,IN THIS LAST PAYMENT QUARTER
OF THE YEAR 2005,BEING PART PAYMENT OF
HIS CONTRACT FUNDS BALANCE WITH US.
WE HAVE EXPECTED OF YOU TO CONTACT US,
FOR HIS REMAINING FUNDS DEPOSITED WITH
US, BUT UPTIL THIS MOMENT NO ONE SHOWS
FACE FOR THE CLAIMS. INCASE, NOW, WE
ASUMES, NON OF YOU IS AWARE OF THIS
DEPOSIT AND THAT IS THE REASON WE ALSO
WRITE YOU TO RECOMFIRM THE BELOW PAYMENT
DETAILS, TO AVOID ANY MISTAKE/PAYING TO
WRONG ACCOUNTS.

SIR,THIS IS ALSO TO INFORM AND TO BRING
TO YOUR NOTICE,THAT WE HAVE SCHEDULED
TO TRANSFER THE ABOVE SUM TO YOUR BANK
ACCOUNT ON,THE 19TH, DECEMBER, 2005,
AT 11:30 AM GMT TIME VIA THIS HEAD
QUARTER.YOU ARE THEREFORE ADVISED
TO RECONFIRM SAID BANK/ADDRESS DETAILS
IMMEDIATELY TO US WITHOUT ANY FURTHER DELAY BY
COMPLETING THE BELOW ATTACHED FORM AND RECOMFIRM
YOUR ACCOUNT DETAILS STATED BELOW: AS FOLLOWS.

Bank Name:BANK OF CHINA(HONG KONG)
Receiving Bank Name: Bank of China
(Hong Kong)Limited,Hong Kong.
Receiving Bank Address:
Bank of China (Hong Kong)Limited
G6,Site 11 Whampoa Garden,Hung Hom,Kowloon.
Swift Address:BKCHHKHHXXXCHIPS UID 101779
PAYEE' A/C NO: 01269792022317
PAYEE' NAME:HU CHENG HO.

PLEASE YOU SHOULD RESPOND TO THIS MAIL VERY URGENT AS
WE WANT TO CONCLUDE THIS TRANSFER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
SMOOTHLY.
AWAITING FOR YOUR IMMEDIATE RESPONSE,

SINCERELY,
DR./MRS KATE HEINZ
DIRECTOR FORIEGN REMITTANCE DEPT.
(I.C.B)


POST SCRITUM:You have to keep everything secret as to
enable the transfer to move very smoothly in to the account you will
prove to the bank.As you finished reading this letter call me
immediately so that we discuss very well over this business.
Please call me and inform me that you
received my mail, because i don't go to net always.


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