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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: philip philip <mrphilip6@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 21 Jun 2006 12:08:35 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: URGENT


FROM DR PHILIP JOHN,
THE MANAGER OF CREDIT
AND FOREIGN BILLS OF
BTCI BANK LOME TOGO
WEST AFRICA.

DEAR FRIEND,

WITH DUE REGARDS,MY NAME IS DR MR PHILIP JOHN, THE
MANAGER OF CREDIT AND FOREIGN BILLS OF BTCI BANK LOME
TOGO [BTCI] .I AM WRITING IN RESPECT OF A FOREIGN
CUSTOMER OF MY BANK WITH THE ACCOUNT NUMBER,
14-255-2004/BTCI/WHO PERISHED IN A PLANE
CRASH[ETHIOPIAN AIRLINE 961] WITH OTHER PASSENGERS
ABOARD. DEAR,

SINCE THE DEMISE OF THIS OUR CUSTOMER I PERSONALLY
HAVE WATCHED WITH KEEN INTEREST TO SEE SOMEONE COME UP
AS THE NEXT OF KIN BUT ALL HAS PROVED ABORTIVE AS NO
ONE HAS COME TO CLAIM HIS FUNDS OF USD,29.5 M[ TWENTY NINE
MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITEDSTATES
DOLLARS]WHICH HAS BEEN WITH MY BANK FOR A VERY LONG
TIMEON THIS NOTE,I DECIDED TO SEEK FOR WHOM HIS NAME
SHOULD BE USED AS THE NEXT OF KIN AS NO ONE HAS COME
UP TO BE THE NEXT OF KIN.AND THE BANKING ETHICS HERE
DOES NOT ALLOW SUCH MONEY TO STAY MORE THAN FOUR
YEARS.

AFTER FOUR YEARS,THE MONEY WILL BE RECALLED TO THE
BANK TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED.INVIEW OF THIS,I GOT YOUR
IMPRESIVE CONTACT THROUGH MY COUNTRY'S FOREIGN TRADE
MISSION DIRECTORY,AND ITHERFORE CONSIDER YOU
FAVOURABLE TO BE USED AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO THE
DECEASED.THE REQUESTOFA FOREIGNER AS A NEXT OF KIN IN
THIS TRANSACTIONIS OCCASIONED BY THE FACT THAT THE
CUSTOMER WAS A FOREIGNER ANDA TOGOLESE CANNOT STAND AS
THE NEXT OF KIN TO A FOREIGNER.

I AGREED THAT USD 2.5 M OF THIS MONEY WILL BE FOR YOU
AS A FOREIGN PARTNER IN RESPECT OF PROVIDING AN
ACCOUNT NUMBER,WHILETHE REST WILL BE FORME,THEREAFTER
I WILL VISIT YOUR COUNTRYFOR DISBURSEMENT AS I AM
ALMOST DUE FOR RETIREMENT . THEREFORE ,DEAR,TO
ENDEAVOUR THE IMMEDIATE TRANSFER OF THIS FUNDTO YOUR
ACCOUNT,

YOU HAVE TO APPLY FIRST TO THE BANK AS ARELATION AND
THE NEXT OF KIN TO THE DESEASED INDICATING YOUR BANK
NAME,YOUR BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER , YOUR PRIVATE
TELEPHONENUMBER, AND FAX NUMBER FOR EASY COMMUNICATION
AND LOCATION WHERETHE MONEY WILL BE REMITTED.UPON THE
RECEIPT OF YOURS,I WILL SENDTO YOU BY FAX OR E-MAIL
THE APPLICATION AND THE NEXT STEP TO TAKE .

I WILL NOT FAIL TO BRING TO YOUR NOTICE THAT THIS
BUSINESS IHITCH & RISK FREE AND THAT YOU SHOULD NOT
ENTERTAIN ANY FEAR AS THE WHOLE REQUIRED ARRANGEMENT
HAS BEEN MADE FOR THE TRANFER YOU SHOULD CONTACT ME
IMMEDIATELY AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS LETTER.
TRUSTING TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON.

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,

DR MR PHILIP JOHN BTCI
BANK LOME TOGO WEST AFRICA



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