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: LIU YAN <liuyandata@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Mon, 7 May 2007 13:27:35 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: CONFIDENTIAL!!!


FROM: Mr.Liu Yan
Bank of China Ltd.
13/F. Bank of China Tower
1 Garden Road,
Hong Kong.

Good day,

I sincerely ask for forgiveness for i know this may seem like a
complete intrusion to your privacy but right about now this is my option of
communication. This mail might come to you as a surprise and the
temptation to ignore it as unserious could come into your mind; but please
consider it a divine wish and accept it with a deep sense of humility. I am
Mr. Liu Yan a transfer supervisor operations in investment section in
Bank of China Ltd. Secretariat of the BOCHK Charitable Foundation 13/F.
Bank of China Tower, 1 Garden Road, Hong Kong I have a obscured
business suggestion for you.

Before the U.S and Iraqi war our client General Mohammed Jassim Ali
who was with the Iraqi forces and also business man made a numbered fixed
deposit for 18 calendar months, with a value of Nineteen millions Five
Hundred Thousand United State Dollars only in my branch.

Upon maturity several notice was sent to him, even during the war early
this year. Again after the war another notification was sent and still
no response came from him. We later find out that the general and his
family had been killed during the war in bomb blast that hit their home.

You can read more about the bombings on visiting these sites below:

http://www.ccmep.org/usbombingwatch/2003.htm

After further investigation it was also discovered that General
Mohammed Jassim Ali did not declare any next of kin in his official papers
including the paper work of his bank deposit. And he also confided in me
the last time he was at my office that no one except me knew of his
deposit in my bank. So, Nineteen millions Five Hundred Thousand United
State Dollars is still lying in my bank and no one will ever come forward
to claim it. What bothers me most is that according to the to the laws
of my country at the expiration 5 years the funds will revert to the
ownership of the Hong Kong Government if nobody applies to claim the
funds.

Against this backdrop, my suggestion to you is that I will like you as
a foreigner to stand as the next of kin to General Mohammed Jassim Ali
so that you will be able to receive his funds.

WHAT IS TO BE DONE:

I want you to know that I have had everything planned out so that we
shall come out successful. I have contacted an attorney that will prepare
the necessary document that will back you up as the next of kin to
General Mohammed Jassim Ali, all that is required from you at this stage is
for you to provide me with your Full Names and Address so that the
attorney can commence his job.

After you have been made the next of kin, the attorney will also fill
in for claims on your behalf and secure the necessary approval and
letter of probate in your favor for the move of the funds to an account that
will be provided by you.

There is no risk involved at all in the matter as we are going adopt a
legalized method and the attorney will prepare all the necessary
documents.
Please endeavor to observe utmost discretion in all matters concerning
this issue. Once the funds have been transferred to your nominated bank
account we shall share in the ratio of 60% for me, 40% for you.

Should you be interested please send me your full names, private phone/fax and current residential address,
to my personal email address: liuyandata@yahoo.com.hk

Kind Regards
Mr.Liu Yan


Anti-fraud resources: