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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: robmuv@sify.com
Date: Fri, 06 Oct 2006 11:36:03 +0200
Subject: Very Urgent/Confidential!!

FROM: MR.ROBERT MUVANA.
ABSA GROUP.
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA.
EMAIL:robmuv@sify.com



ATTN: DIRECTOR/CEO,


I am Mr. Robert Muvana one of the senior accountants AMALGAMATED BANK OF SOUTH
AFRICA (ABSA). I am writing following an opportunity in my office that will be
of immense benefit to both of us. In my department we discovered an abandoned
sum of (USD 20 Million) Twenty Million United State Dollars in an account that
belongs to one of our foreign customers Late Mr. Morris Thompson an American
who unfortunately lost his life in the plane crash of Alaska Airlines Flight
261 which crashed on January 31 2000, including his wife and only daughter. You
shall read more about the crash on visiting this site.

http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/02/01/alaska.airlines.list/


Since we got information about his death, we have been expecting his next of kin
or relatives to come over and claim his money because we cannot release it
unless somebody applies for it as next of kin or relation to the deceased as
indicated in our banking guidelines.

Unfortunately I learnt that his supposed next of kin being his only
daughter died along with him in the plane crash leaving nobody with the
knowledge of this fund behind for the claim. It is therefore upon this
discovery that I and two other officials in this department now decided to make
business with you and release the money to you as the next of kin or
beneficiary of the funds for safety keeping and subsequent disbursement since
nobody is coming for it and we don't want this money to go back into Government
treasury as unclaimed bill.

The banking law and guidelines here stipulates that such money remained
after six years the money will be transferred into banking treasury as
unclaimed funds.

I have agreed that 35% of this money will be for you as foreign partner, while
the balance will be for me and my colleagues. I will visit your country for the
disbursement according to the percentages indicated above once this money gets
into your account. Please be honest to me and trust is our watchword in this
transaction.

Note this transaction is confidential and risk free. As soon as you receive this
mail you should contact me by return mail. However,that all necessary arrangement for the smooth release of these funds to you has been finalized. We
will discuss much in details when I do receive your response.

Please confirm to me promptly your interest in this project by sending your
telephone and fax numbers me for further directives.

I also implore you to maintain the absolute confidentiality of this
transaction.


Truly Yours,

Mr. Robert Muvana


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