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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: "ChiefWilliams Martins" <chiefwilliams2008@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: chiefwilliams_martin@myway.com
Date: Tue, 03 Jan 2006 12:31:11 +0000
Subject: PLEASE CONFIRM RECIEPT.

 STANDARD TRUST BANK(STB),SHELL
DEVELOPMENT HOUSE
MARINA, VICTORIA ISLAND,
LAGOS-NIGERIA
TEL/FAX 234-1-8502386..
 
 
 
 
 
INTRODUCTION
 
Dear Friend,
 
I AM CHIEF WILLIAMS MARTINS (FCA), THE PERSONAL ACCOUNTING OFFICER TO A
NATIONAL OF YOUR COUNTRY, WHO WAS A COUNTRACTOR/ OIL MERCHANT USED TO WORK WITH SHELL PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY (SPDC) IN ABUJA HERE IN AFTER SHALL BE REFERRED TO AS MY CLIENT.
WHO DIED ON THE 30TH OF APRIL 2002, MY CLIENT, HIS WIFE AND THEIR TWO
CHILDREN WERE INVOLVED IN AN AIR CRASH (ENROUTE ABUJA-KENYA-SOUTH AFRICA) WHICH PLUNGED INTO THE OCEAN, ALL PASSENGERS ABOARD DIED, SINCE THEN I HAVE MADE SEVERAL ENQUIRIES TO YOUR EMBASSY TO LOCATE ANY OF MY CLIENTS EXTENDED RELATIVES, THIS HAS ALSO PROVED UNSUCCESSFUL.
AFTER THESE SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS, I DECIDED TO TRACE HIS SURNAME OVER THE DIRECTORY,TO LOCATE ANY MEMBER OF HIS FAMILY HENCE I CONTACTED YOU.
I HAVE CONTACTED YOU TO ASSIST IN REPARTING THE MONEY AND PROPERTY LEFT
BEHIND BY MY CLIENT BEFORE THEY GET IT CONFISCATED OR DECLARED UNSERVICEABLE BY THE BANK WHERE THIS HUGE DEPOSITS WERE LODGED. PARTICULARLY, STANDARD TRUST BANK PLC WHERE THE DECEASED HAD AN ACCOUNT VALUED AT AT FIFTEEN MILLION DOLLARS HAS ISSUED ME A NOTICE AS HIS ACCOUNTING OFFICER TO PROVIDE THE NEXT OF KIN OR HAVE THE ACCOUNT CONFISCATED WITHIN THE NEXT TEN OFFICIAL WORKING DAYS.
SINCE I HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN LOCATING THE RELATIVES FOR OVER 2 YEARS NOW I SEEK YOUR CONSENT TO PRESENT YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN OF THE DECEASED SINCE YOU ARE FROM THE SAME COUNTRY, SO THAT THE PROCEEDS OF THIS ACCOUNT VALUED AT AT FIFTEEN MILLION DOLLARS CAN BE PAID TO YOU AND THEN YOU AND ME CAN SHARE THE MONEY. I HAVE ALL NECESSARY LEGAL DOCUMENTS THAT CAN BE USED TO BACK UP ANY CLAIM WE MAY MAKE.
ALL I REQUIRE IS YOUR HONEST CO-OPERATION TO ENABLE US SEE THIS DEAL
THROUGH. I GUARANTEE THAT THIS WILL BE EXECUTED UNDER A LEGITIMATE
ARRANGEMENT THAT WILL PROTECT YOU FROM ANY BREACH OF THE LAW.TO ENABLE ME START THE PROCESS OF THIS FUNDS INTO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT,
 
I REQUIRED THE FOLLOWING FROM YOU.
1. THE NAME OF YOUR BANK WHERE YOU WANT THE FUND TO BE TRANSFERED
INTO,ACCOUNT ABD BENEFICIARY 2. YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS
PLEASE YOU CAN CONTACT ME: VIA email: chiefwilliam_martin@myway.com. BETTER STILL YOU CAN REACH ME ON MY MOBILE PHONE{234-1-4732569}.
 
THANKS AND GOD BLESS.
KINDEST REGARDS,
CHIEF WILLIAMS MARTINS (FCA)

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