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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: "PRINCE FAYAD H. BOLKIAH" <princefayadh@yahoo.co.uk>
Reply-To: michsmith@wanadoo.es
Date: Mon, 06 Feb 2006 19:30:55 +0100
Subject: US$25million in Europe


ATTN: Friend

I need you to read this email message carefully because it is very
imperative. I am contacting you for an Urgent Business Transaction and
further explicit investment information about your country. I am PRINCE
FAYAD H.BOLKIAH, the eldest son of PRINCE JEFRI BOLKIAH who was the former
Finance Minister of Brunei. Brunei Darussalam is a small country
located in the northwest of the island of Borneo and governed by His Majesty

SHEIK HAJI HASSANAL BOLKIAH MU'IZZADDIN WADDAULAH.
I will save your time by not amplifying my extended Royal Family
history, which has already been disseminated by the international media during
the controversial dispute that erupted between my father and his
stepbrother, the sultan of Brunei SHEIK HAJI HASSANAL BOLKIAH. As you may
know from the international media, the Sultan had accused my father of
financial mismanagement and impropriety of US$14.8 Billion.
This was as a result of the Asian financial crisis which made my
father company Amedeo development Corporation (ADC) and government owned
Brunei Investment Agency (BIA) to be declared bankrupt during his tenure
in office. PRINCE JEFRI BOLKIAH was relieved of his post as Finance
Minister of Brunei and was stripped of his chairmanship post as head of
the nation's international investment arm, the Brunei Investment Agency
in February 1998. The Agency controls 13 companies & Brunei's overseas
assets.
In July 1998, SHEIK HAJI HASSANAL BOLKIAH barred trading by Amedeo
Development Corporation when the world's biggest corporate debt of US$14.8
Billion came to light. In September the 1998, the Sultan ordered an
investigation of the BIA by accountants KPMG after the Brunei government
alleged that “large sums of money" had been misappropriated to companies
controlled by PRINCE JEFRI BOLKIAH. The Sultan then asked the Bank of
England to help track down an alleged 28 Billion British Pounds of state
and family funds said to be "missing" On the 02/10/1998 PRINCE JEFRI
BOLKIAH flew from London in a private jet and was going to settle matters
directly with SHEIK HAJI HASSANAL BOLKIAH.
PRINCE JEFRI drove straight to his seaside palace at Jerudong, about 10
miles south of the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan. He was due to meet
with officials of the Amedeo Development Corporation and visit the sultan.
After series of meetings relations between the Royals appeared to
deteriorate quickly. However, my father was arrested, his Bank Accounts and
private properties including a crude oil export refinery & three large
oil wells which were later confiscated by the sultanate.
Furthermore, during this unfortunate period i was advised to evacuate
my immediate family outside the sultanate to avoid further prosecution
from the sultan and his security operatives. Before I could do that I
was placed under house arrest by SHEIK HAJI HASSANAL BOLKIAH. You can
visit the websites below for a better understanding of the situation: -
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/670959.stm
http://www.asiaweek.com/asiaweek/magazine/2000/0310/nat.brunei.jefri.html
I have just got a Palm V hand-held computer from which I am sending you this

mail. Before my arrest, I went ahead to dispatch the sum of US$1 Billion
in cash under special arrangement into the custody of different Offshore
Banks and Private security and Trustee companies for safe keeping
abroad.
The money where split and kept in Asia, Arabia , Europe Private Deposit & Trustee companies, I am unable to reach my friends & associates whom would have provided all the much needed moral and financial assistance I require
to release the funds because my private/personal diary was seized by my
uncle SHEIK HAJI HASSANAL BOLKIAH who also happens to be the Sultan of
Brunei. Hence, I seek your good will & assistance to receive the US$25million in Europe and invest the fund into profitable investment in your country to facilitate
future survival for my family abroad. I will compensate adequately for
your strong cooperation. I am counting on your absolute confidentiality
and transparency while looking forward to your prompt reply towards a
swift conclusion of this business transaction, include your
direct Mobile phone number and you should contact my representative His name is MR Michael Smith via this email: michsmith@wanadoo.es,
I need your urgent reply on this project.

Wassalam & Best Regards,
PRINCE FAYAD H. BOLKIAH
BRUNEI DARUSSALAM

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