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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: "Don Sari" <mrdonsari@msn.com>
Reply-To: mrdonsari@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Tue, 03 Jan 2006 13:34:53 +0000
Subject: GOD'S WISH FROM MR MORGAN JONES

FROM THE DESK OF MR DON SARI.
ECO BANK OF AFFRICA PLC.
LOME.

HELLO,
GOD'S WISH,

I am the manager of bill and exchange at the foreign
remittance department of the ECO BANK OF AFRICA TOGO,
LOME. I am writing following the impressive information
about you. I have the assurance that you are capable and
reliable enough to champion an impending transaction.

In my department, we discovered an abandoned sum of
US$28.5m (twenty eight million and five hundred thousand
US dollars), in an account that belonged to one of our
former customers who died along with his entire family in
a plane crash, in November, 2003. Since we received the
information about his death, we have expected his next of
kin to come forward and claim his money, as enshrined in
our banking laws and regulations.

So far nobody has come forward, and we cannot release the
funds unlesssomeone applies as the next of kin as
stipulated in our guidelines.Unfortunately, we have
discovered that all his supposed next of kin or relations
died alongside with him in the plane crash, and
effectively leaving nobody behind for the claim.

It is consequent upon this discovery that other officials
and I in my department decided to make this business
proposal to you and release the money to you as the next
of kin or relation of the deceased person, for safety and
subsequent disbursement, since nobody is coming forward for
it, and the money is not reverted into the bank's treasury
as unclaimed.

The bank's regulation stipulates that if after five years,
such money remains unclaimed; the money will be reverted
to the bank's treasury as unclaimed fund. The request for
a foreigner as the next of kin in this transaction is
predicated upon the fact that the said customer was a
foreign national, andno citizen of this country can claim
to be the next of kin of a foreigner. We agree that 30%
of the total sum we be given to you for your assistance in
facilitating this transaction. My colleagues and I are
going to retain 60% of the total sum, and 10% will be set
aside for the expenses that we may incur in facilitating
the remittance.

To enable us effect this remittance, you must first apply
as the next of kin of the deceased. Your application will
include your bank co-ordinates, that is, your bank name,
bank address and telex, your bank account. You will include
your private telephone no. and fax no., for easy and
effective communication during this process. My colleagues
and I will visit your country for disbursement according
to the agreed ratio, when this transaction is concluded.
Upon the receipt of your response, I will send to you by
fax,the text of the application.

I must not fail to bring to your notice the fact that this transaction
is hitch free, and that you should not entertain fear as you are
adequately protected from any form of embarrassment Do respond to this
letter today through my email address to
enable
us proceed with the transaction.

Thanks,
Yours sincerely,
MR DON SARI,
ECO BANK OF AFRICA,
TOGO,LOME.


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