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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: Chen Guangyuan <yuanguang_chen@yahoo.com.hk>
Reply-To: chen_chengua@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Tue, 19 Sep 2006 03:11:33 +0100
Subject: Urgent Business Proposal


My name is Chen Guangyuan, and I work for the bank of China Hong
Kong. I am the head of internal audit department. It is understandable
that you might be a little bit apprehensive because you do not know me
but I have a lucrative business proposal of mutual benefit to share
with you. While we were conducting the audit system check for the last
two years, I came across an investment account that has been dormant
for many years. They belong to one of our client Mr. Hamadi Hashem who
was with the Iraqi forces and also a business man. He made a numbered
fixed deposit for 24 calendar months just before the U.S and Iraqi war,
with a value of Seventeen million three Hundred Thousand United State
Dollars (US$17,300,000.00) in my branch. Upon maturity several notices
were sent to him, even during the war early last year. Again after the
war another notification was sent and still no response came from him.
We later found out that Mr. Hamadi Hashem and his family had been
killed during the war in bomb blast that hit their home at Mukaradeeb
where his personal oil well was.

http://www.iraqmemorialwall.
org/iraqicasualties.html
http://www.iraqbodycount.net/names.htm

After further investigation it was also discovered that Mr. Hamadi
Hashem did not declare any next of kin in his official papers including
the paper work of his bank deposit. What bothers me most is that
according to the laws of my country at the expiration six {6} years the
funds will revert to the ownership of the Hong Kong Government if
nobody applies to claim the funds. Against this backdrop, my suggestion
to you is that I will like you as a foreigner to stand as the next of
kin to Mr. Hamadi Hashem so that you will be able to receive his funds.
I have set out all the modalities to see that this transaction is 100%
successful. You will be placed as the next of kin to Mr. Hamadi Hashem.
I will secure a letter of probate in your favor for the movement of the
funds to an account that will be provided by you. This should not be
mistaken for greed but I do not want to miss out from this once in a
lifetime opportunity as I know that it is safe and risk free. I came
to the UK on holidays, so I decided to send this letter to you. The
only risk I have is for you refusing to work with me and alerting my
bank. I am the only one who knows of this situation. Once the funds
have been transferred to your nominated bank account we shall share in
the ratio of 75% for me, 20% for you and 5% to cover any incidental
expenses. Should you be interested, you can reach me through Tel/Fax:
00852-3015-8081 and/or my private email address
(chen_chengua@yahoo.com.hk) and let me bring you into a clearer picture of this transaction.
Your earliest response to this letter will be highly appreciated.

Kind Regards,

Mr. Chen Guangyuan

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