joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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: "Barr. Desmond Bruce" <desmondbruce02@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: mr_desbruce@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Sat, 27 Jan 2007 11:03:10 +0000
Subject: BUSINESS PROPOSAL

MR. DESMOND BRUCE
J&D INTERNATIONAL LAW LIMITED
WIMPOLE STREET
LONDON W1G 9RR
Email: mr_desbruce@yahoo.co.uk

I am Barr. Desmond Bruce a Lawyer to the Late Mr. Morris Thompson a National
of United State of America (Mr. Morris Thompson) who is a crude oil tycoon
died in plane crash. Since then I have made several enquiries to the US
embassy to locate any of my late clients extended relatives, this has also
proved unsuccessful. After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to
trace his relatives over the Internet, to locate any member of his family
but of no avail, hence I'm contacting you to assist in repatriating the
money that belong to my late client before they get confiscated or declared
unserviceable by the bank where this huge deposits were lodged.

During my investigation with the auditing of his bank, the department came
across a very huge sum of money belonging to my Deceased client Mr. Morris
Thompson 61years of Fairbanks, Alaska America, who died on January 31st 2000
with Alaska Airlines Flight 261. The fund has been dormant in his account
with this bank without any claim of the fund in our custody either from his
family or relation because he did not indicate any next of kin to this
account incase of death before our discovery to this development.

Although as lawyer, I personally kept this information secret within myself
until I am able to locate any of heirs. The bank official has just hinted me
that in order to avoid the bank from converting this fund as part of the
bank surplus profit, I should look out for a reliable person that will stand
as the heir and receive the fund on our behalf. I and the bank officials are
now partners to enable the whole plans and idea be Profitable and successful
during the time of execution. The said amount was US$28.5 M (Twenty eight
million five hundred thousand united states dollars). As it may interest you
to know, I got your impressive information through my good friend who works
with chamber of commerce on foreign business relations here in Oxford
University, United Kingdom. He recommended your person to me to be viable
and capable to champion a business of such magnitude without any problem.

Meanwhile all the whole arrangement to put claim over this fund as the
bonafide next of kin/beneficiary to the deceased, get the required approval
and transfer this money to a foreign account has been put in place and
directives, and needed information will be relayed to you as soon as you
indicate your interest and willingness to assist us, and also benefit
yourself to this great business opportunity. In fact, I could have done this
deal alone but because of my position as a lawyer in my country, I will not
want to do anything that will make the bank official think I want sidetrack
them. This is the actual reason why it will require a second party or
fellow, who will forward claims as the next of kin with affidavit of trust
of oath to the bank and also present a foreign account where he will need
the money to be transferred into on his request, as it may be after due
verification and clarification by the correspondent branch of the bank where
the whole money will be remitted from to your own designation bank account.

I will not fail to inform you that this transaction is 100% risk free. On
smooth conclusion of this transaction, you will be entitled to 35% of the
total sum as gratification, while 5% will be set aside to take care of
expenses that may arise during the time of transfer and also telephone and
fax bills, while 65% will be for me and my partners. Please, you have been
advised to keep top secret as we are still in service and intend to resign
from service after we conclude this deal with you. I will be monitoring the
whole situation here with he bank until you confirm the money in your
account, and ask us to come down to your country for subsequent sharing of
the fund according to percentage, previously indicated and further
investment, either in your country or any country you advise us to invest
in. All other necessary information will be sent to you when I hear from
you. To commence this transaction, we require you to immediately indicate
your interest by a return e-mail and enclose your:

1. Private contact telephone number, fax number
2. Full name
3. Profession
4. Age/Sex
5. Address to enable us file letter of claim to the appropriate department
for necessary approvals before the transfer can be made.

I am waiting to hear from you soonest.

Barr. Desmond Bruce

_________________________________________________________________
Valentine’s Day -- Shop for gifts that spell L-O-V-E at MSN Shopping
http://shopping.msn.com/content/shp/?ctId=8323,ptnrid=37,ptnrdata=24095&tcode=wlmtagline


Anti-fraud resources: