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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 ALEX IVANS" <alex_22l@email.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: alex_@myway.com
Date: Tue, 26 Dec 2006 14:43:14 +0100
Subject: very very urgent...................,

FROM: MR ALEX IVANS ATTN:
DEAR
I AM THE MANAGER OF BILLS AND EXCHANGE AT THE FOREIGN REMITTANCE
DEPARTMENT OF THE UNICAJA BANK SPAIN . I AM WRITING THIS LETTER TO ASK FOR
SUPPORT AND CO-OPERATION TO CARRY OUT THIS BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY IN MY
DEPARTMENT. WE DISCOVER AN ABANDONED SUM OF US$15,000,000. (FIFTEEN
MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY) IN AN ACCOUNT THAT BELONGS TO ONE
OF OUR FOREIGN CUSTOMER WHO DIED ALONG WITH HIS ENTIRE FAMILY IN
NOVEMBER 2002 IN A PLANE CRASH. SINCE WE GOT INFORMATION ABOUT HIS DEATH
WE HAVE BEEN EXPECTING HIS NEXT OF KIN TO COME OVER AND CLAIM HIS MONEY
BECAUSE WE CANNOT RELEASE THE MONEY UNLESS SOMEBODY APPLIES FOR IT AS
THE NEXT OF KIN OR RELATION TO THE DECEASED AS INDICATED IN OUR BANKING
GUIDELINES. UNFORTUNATELY, NEITHER THE FAMILY MEMBER NOR THE RELATION
HAS APPEARED TO CLAIM THIS MONEY, AT THIS DISCOVERY, I AND OTHER
OFFICIALS IN THE DEPARTMENT NOW DECIDED TO DO BUSINESS WITH YOU AND
RELEASE THE MONEY TO YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN OR RELATION OF THE DECEASE
FOR SAFETY AND SUBSEQUENT DISBURSEMENT SINCE NOBODY IS COMING FOR IT
AND WE DON'T WANT THIS MONEY TO GO INTO THE BANK TREASURY AS AN
UNCLAIMED DEBT. THE BANKING LAW AND GUIDELINES OF UNICAJABANK SPAIN
STIPULATES THAT IF SUCH MONEY REMAINED UNCLAIMED FOR A PERIOD OF THREE
(3) YEARS IT WILL BE TRANSFERRED INTO THE BANK TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED
FUND. THE NEED FOR A FOREIGNER AS NEXT OF KIN IN THIS BUSINESS IS
OCCASSIONED BY THE FACT THAT THE CUSTOMER WAS A FOREIGNER AND A SPAINSH
CANNOT STAND AS HIS NEXT OF KIN OR HEIR. WE AGREED THAT 30% OF THE MONEY
WILL BE FOR YOU AS FOREIGN PARTNER, THERE AFTER MY COLLEAGUE AND I
WILL VISIT YOUR COUNTRY FOR DISBURSEMENT ACCORDING TO THE PERCENTAGE
INDICATED.
THEREFORE, TO ENABLE THE IMMEDIATE TRANSFER OF THE FUND TO YOU AS
INDICATED. YOU MUST APPLY TO THE BANK AS A RELATION OR NEXT OF KIN OF
THE DECEASED, INDICATING YOUR BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER AND LOCATION WHEREIN
THE MONEY WILL BE REMITTED. UPON RECEIPT OF REPLY BY MAIL, I WILL SEND
TO YOU BY MAIL TH E TEXT OF APPLICATION. AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS
LETTER YOU SHOULD CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY AND INDICATE YOUR DIRECT FAX AND
CONFIDENTIAL TELEPHONE NUMBER FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION TRUSTING TO
HEAR FROM YOU IMMEDIATELY ON MY
email alex_ivans@walla.com
YOURS
FAITHFULLY,
MR ALEX IVANS


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