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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: "HARRY DEVIS" <harrydevis099@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: harrydevis_1000@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Fri, 27 Oct 2006 12:41:41 +0200
Subject: VERY CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS PROPOSAL FOR YOU

FROM:THE COORDINATOR,
DEBT RECOVERY AND RECONCILIATION
UNIT. OFFICE OF THE CHIEF AUDITOR,
14TH FLOOR, EMBASSY BUILDING CNR SMITH ALIWAL STREET,
ALBERTON BRANCH DURBAN 4000 SOUTH AFRICA.
PHONE +27 73 999 5874

 
 
 
ATTENTION:DIRECTOR/CEO
 
 
I AM MR.HARRY DEVIS THE CHIEF AUDITOR OF ONE OF THE LEADING BANKS IN  SOUTH  AFRICA
I GOT YOUR  CONTACT FROM THE WORLD TRADE CENTER (WTC) REGIONAL OFFICE IN  JOHANNESBURG  SOUTH AFRICA .ALTHOUGH THE DETAILS OF MY INTENTION WAS NOT MADE KNOWN TO THEM.ACTUALLY,I LISTED YOUR NAME AMONGST FOUR OTHER NAMES & PRAYED  OVER  THEM & DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU DIRECTLY.
 
 I HAVE A VERY URGENT & CONFIDENTIAL BUSSINESS PROPOSAL  FOR  YOU, & IT IS FOR OUR OVERALL MUTUAL INTEREST. ON APRIL 6 2001, AN AMERICAN OIL CONSULTANT/CONTRACTOR WITH THE ANGLO  AMERICAN  GOLD CORPORATION MR BARRY KELLY MADE A NUMBERED TIME(FIXED) DEPOSIT FOR  TWELVE CALENDAR MONTHS,VALUED AT USD$18,000,000.00(EIGHTEEN  MILLION  DOLLARS)  IN MY BRANCH.UPON  MATURITY,I SENT A ROUTINE NOTIFICATION TO HIS FORWARDED  ADDRESS BUT GOT NO  REPLY.AFTER A MONTH WE SENT A REMINDER,& FINALLY WE  DISCOVERED FROM HIS CONTRACT  EMPLOYERS ANGLO AMERICAN GOLD, THAT
 
MR.BARRY  DIED IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT.ON FURTHER INVESTIGATION,I FOUND OUT  THAT HE  DID NOT LEAVE A (WILL) & ALL ATTEMPTS TO TRACE HIS NEXT  OF KIN WERE  FRUITLESS.I  THEREFORE MADE FURTHER INVESTIGATION & DISCOVERED THAT  MR.BARRY  DID NOT DECLARE ANY NEXT OF KIN IN ALL HIS OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS,INCLUDING  HIS  BANK DEPOSIT PAPERWORK.
 
THIS SUM USD$18,000,000.00 IS STILL FLOATING IN THE BANK AND THE  INTEREST IS  BEING ROLLED OVER WITH THE PRINCIPAL SUM AT THE END OF EACH YEAR.NO ONE  WILL  COME FORWARD TO CLAIM IT.ACCORDING TO SOUTH AFRICAN  LAWS, AT THE  EXPIRATION  OF 6 (SIX) YEARS,THE MONEY WILL REVERT TO  THE OWNERSHIP OF THE SOUTH  AFRICAN  GOVERNMENT  IF NOBODY APPLIES TO CLAIM THE FUNDS. CONSEQUENTLY,MY PROPOSAL IS THAT I WILL  LIKE YOU  AS A FOREIGNER TO STAND IN AS A NEXT OF KIN OF MR BARRY KELLY.THIS IS SIMPLE.
 
1)I WILL WANT YOU TO PROVIDE ME IMMEDIATELY WITH YOUR FULL NAMES &  ADDRESS  SO THAT MY PRIVATE ATTORNEY WILL PREPARE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS &  AFFIDAVITS,WHICH  WILL PUT YOU AS NEXT OF KIN.
 
2)WE SHALL EMPLOY THE SERVICES OF AN ATTORNEYS FOR DRAFTING &  NOTARIZATION  OF THE WILL AND OBTAIN THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS AND LETTER OF ROBATE/ADMINISTRATION IN YOUR FAVOUR FOR THE TRANSFER.
 
3)FORWARD TO ME YOUR BANK DETAILS ,WHICH YOU WILL PROVIDE TO FACILITATE  THE  TRANSFER OF THIS MONEY TO YOU AS THE BENEFICIARY.THE MONEY WILL BE PAID  INTO  YOUR ACCOUNT FOR US TO SHARE IN THE RATIO OF 70% FOR ME AND 20% FOR YOUR RULE  AND  10% FOR EXPENCES.THERE IS NO RISK AT ALL AS THE ATTORNEY ASSISTED  WITH MY  POSITION,  WILL DO THE PAPERWORK FOR THIS TRANSACTION AS THE BRANCH MANAGER  GUARANTEES  THE SUCCESSFUL EXECUTION OF THIS TRANSACTION.
 
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED,PLEASE  REPLY  IMMEDIATELY VIA THIS PRIVTE  EMAIL ADDRESS (harrydevis_1000@yahoo.co.uk)  VIA ABOVE FOR SECURITY REASONS AND ALSO SEND TO ME YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER AND FAX NUMBER. UPON YOUR RESPONSE,I SHALL THEN PROVIDE YOU WITH MORE DETAILS AND  RELEVANT  DOCUMENTS THAT WILL HELP YOU UNDERSTAND.PLEASE OBSERVE UTMOST  CONFIDENTIALITY,AND BE REST ASSURED THAT THIS WOULD BE MOST PROFITABLE  FOR  BOTH OF US BECAUSE I SHALL REQUIRE YOUR ASSISTANCE TO INVEST MY SHARE  IN  YOUR COUNTRY.
 
AWAITING FOR YOUR URGENT REPLY VIA THIS EMAIL ABOVE,PLEASE SAVE ME THE ANXIETY OF ENDLESS WAITING.
 
GOD BLESS YOU. DONT HESITATE TO  REACH ME, THROUGH THIS  EMAIL ADDRESS

MR.HARRY DEVIS ,
(CHIEF AUDITOR)
PHONE +27 73 999 5874


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