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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: "Mr. Mike Iragbor" <irmike@si2u.com>
Reply-To: MIKEIRAGBOR@YAHOO.COM.HK
Date: Mon, 11 Sep 2006 20:26:14 -0700
Subject: letter



Dear Friend.

It is indeed my pleasure to write you this letter, which I believe
will be a surprise to you as we have never met before, and I am deeply
sorry if I have in any manner disturbed your privacy. Please forgive
this unusual manner of contacting you, but this particular letter is
of exceptional and very private nature. There is absolutely going to
be a great doubt and distrust in your heart in respect of this email,
coupled with the fact that, so many individuals have taken advantage
of the Internet to facilitate their nefarious activities, thereby
making it extremely difficult for genuine and legitimate business
class persons to get attention and recognition. There is no way for me
to know whether I will be properly understood, but it is my duty to
write and reach out to you.

I am MR IRAGBOR MIKE,an accountant with UNION BANK OF NIGERIA PLC. The
business I am about to introduce you is based on sheer trust and with
a Sense of purpose. I am contacting you toassist in repatriating the
sum of $20.5M The money and property left behind by ENGR. BOWEN
HARROLD who had an accident On the 21st of April 2001, ENGR. BOWEN
HARROLD,his wife and their two Children were involved in a car
accident in a remote village called Kuru near Jos in Plateau State.
All occupants of the car Unfortunately lost their lives.

Since then I have made several enquiries to his embassy here in
Lagos-Nigeria to locate any of ENGR. BOWEN HARROLD'S extended
relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful even to locate any member
of his family hence I contacted you as his account officer to work
with you before they get his account confiscated, frozen or declared
nserviceable by the bank where these huge deposits were lodged.
Particularly, the UNION BANK OF NIG. PLC, where the deceased had an
account valued at about (US$20.5M) Twenty Milliom,Five Hundred
Thousand United States Dollars. Now the management has issued a notice
to provide the next of kin or have the accountfrozen. Since I have
been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 2 years now, I
seek your consent to present you as the next of kin to the deceased
since you are a foreigner so that the proceeds of this account valued
at $20.5 M, can be paid to you and then you and I can share the money.
60% to me and 35% to you, while 5% will be mapped out for any
miscellaneous expenses that might be incured in the course of this
transaction.


I have made an arrangement with an attorney who will work for us and
secure all the necessary legal documents to back up this claim, and
this I must do to make sure that this fund is not wasted or end up in
the wrong hands. All I require is your honest co-operation to enable
us secure all the legal documents and see this deal through . I
guarantee you that this transaction will be executed under a
legitimate arrangement that will protect you and I from any breach of
the law.

If you are interested in this deal, kingly get back to methrough email
with your complete information as follows: Telephone and Fax numbers,
your home address, Full name, your banking Particulars where the funds
US$20.5M would be transfered.


Best regards,

MR IRAGBOR MIKE


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