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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: burton bentley <burtons_004@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <burtonmails@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 8 May 2007 14:17:38 +0100
Subject: FROM: MR BURTON BENTLEY.



FROM: MR BURTON BENTLEY.INTERNATIONAL TRANSFER.LEICESTER CURRENCYHSBC BANK PLC lONDON-UK CHEQUE/DRAFT DEPARTMENTTELEGRAM: FGUKFOREXEmail: burtonmails @yahoo.co.uk
Dear:Sir/Ma,
I am Mr Burton Bentley, Director allocation departmentfrom the (hsbc BANK PLC lONDON-UK ). My office monitors and controls the affairs of all banksand financial institutions in United Kingdom concernedwith foreign claimpayments.
I am the final signatory to any transfer or remittanceof huge fundsmoving within banks both on the local andinternational levels in line with foreign claimsettlement.
I have before me list of funds, which could not betransferred to some nominated accounts as theseaccounts have been identified either as ghostaccounts, unclaimed deposits andover-invoiced sum etc.
0n this note, I wish to have a deal with you asregards to an unpaid fund. I have a file before me andthe data's are correct and un-tampered.
As it is my duty to recommend the transfer of thesesurplus funds to the Federal Government Treasury andReserve Accounts as unclaimed deposits,I have theopportunity to write you based on the instructions Ireceived two days ago from the Foreign Debtsreconciliation dept to submit the List of paymentreports /expenditures and audited reports of revenues.
Among several others, I have decided to remit yourclaim sum following my idea that we can have adeal/agreement and I am going to do this legally.
My conditions:1. The sum of 9.7 Million Pounds only will be transferinto your account after the proccessing of allrelevant legal documents with your name as the bonfidebeneficary,the transfer will be made by Draft ortelegraphic Transfer (T/T), confirmablein 3 working days.2. This deal must be kept secret forever, and allcorrespondence will be strictly by email / telephone,for security purposes.3. There should be no third parties as most problemassociated with your fund release are caused by youragents or representative.If you AGREE with my conditions, l advise you to sendthe following:A: Your Full name and addressB: Your direct telephone numberC. OccupationD: Age/Marital StatusThe transfer will commence without delay as I willproceed to fix your name on the Payment scheduleinstantly to meet the three days mandate.
I hope you don't reject this offer and have this fundstransferred.
Waiting for your soonest reply.
Faithfully
MR. BURTON BENTLEY.DIRECTOR ALLOCATION DEPARTMENThsbc BANK PLC lONDON-UNITED KINGDOM
_________________________________________________________________
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