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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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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "John Kelly" <info_kelly082@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: john_kelly082@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Wed, 01 Feb 2006 14:25:19 +0000
Subject: CONSIDER THIS AND GET BACK TO ME FRIEND.

JOHN KELLY & ASSOCIATES
(LEGAL PRACTITIONERS)
18 OSOLO WAY, ADMIRAL PLAZA,
AJAO ESTATE,
LAGOS-NIGERIA.
 
Dear Friend,

With due sense of responsiblity,I wish to seek for your partnership in this progressive business opportunity.I was privileged to capture your name from the Internet.My name is Barr.John Kelly,a legal practitioner and the personal Attorney to late Mr.James Chan, who died along with his wife and his two sons in a Ghastly motor accident along Egbeda road, third main-land bridge, over 3 years now August 13,2000.
 
 
All the occupants in the vehicle lost their lives.I am convinced that it was the grace of God that made me to locate you.My client was a successful and is accomplished family man,who made enough fortune before his untimely death.
 
 
Since then I have made several inquiries through your Embassy to locate any of my clients extended relative but this exercise has proved unsuccessful.After several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his relatives through the Internet,to locate any member of his family not much progress was recorded.
 
 
My late client was an influential wealthy businessman,an oil magnet here in Nigeria and he left behind a deposit of $USD10.5 Million Dollars,In his domiciliary bank account in, AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK  PLC, here in Lagos.After the death of my client his bankers contacted me,as his Attorney to provide his next of kin who should inherit his fortune.
 
 
The director of his bank adopted a resolution and I was mandated to provide his next of kin for the payment of this money within 28 working days or forfeit the money to the bank as an abandoned property.The bank had planned to invoke the abandoned property decree of 1996 to confiscate the funds after the expiration of the period given to me.
 
 
Despairing at the point of exhaustiveness, fortunately,I came across your name,having reasoned very professionally and I feel it will be legally proper to present you as the next of kin of my deceased client so that you can be paid the funds left in his bank account hence I contacted you.
 
 
I seek your consent to present you as the Next of Kin to the Deceased since you are at an advantage, so that the proceeds of this Bank Account valued at US$10.5m Million Dollars can be paid to you.We shall both share the funds,60% to me and 40% to you,I shall assemble all the necessary Legal Documents that will be used to back up our claim.
 
 
All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us seeing this transaction through.I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of law.

Best Regards,
Barr.John Kelly.(KSM)


 

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