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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: lee yong <lee_ming_yong@excite.com>
Reply-To: jsony1970@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Thu, 10 May 2007 15:19:55 +0200
Subject: LEE $ ASSOCIATE


LEE & ASSOCIATES
SUITE 12.05, LEVEL 12, MENARA TJB
NO 9, JALAN SYED MOHD MUFTI
80000 JOHOR BAHRU
MALAYSIA
Greetings,
I am Lee Ming Yong, An Attorney of law based in Malaysia, South East
Asia, My late client was a private oil consultant/ contractor with the
Shell Petroleum Development Company in Malaysia before his death. My
client, his wife and his three children lost their life in the 2004
tsunamis natural disaster while on their holiday in Phuket Thailand. It may
interest you to know that my client died "in testate".
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/12/27/asia.quake/
PROPOSITION:
I decided to contact you purely on the personal conviction of trust and
confidence to assist in distributing the money left behind by my
client.The deceased had a deposit valued presently at (US $9,000,000) and his
Bank has issued me a notice to provide his next of kin or beneficiary
by will, otherwise the account would be confiscated.
My proposition to you is to seek your consent to present you as a
relative/next-of-kin and beneficiary of my client, since you have the same
last name, so that the proceeds of this account could be paid to you.
Then we can share the amount on a mutually agreed-upon percentage. All
legal documents to back up your claim as my client's next-of-kin will
be provided.All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see
this transaction through.
This will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect
you from any breach of the law. If this business proposition offends
your moral values,do accept my apology.I must use this opportunity to
implore you to exercise the utmost indulgence to keep this matter
extraordinary confidential, whatever your decision, while I await your prompt
response.
Please contact me at once to indicate your interest.Further response
should be sent to the email contact address.
Email: lee_ming_yong@excite.com
Best regards,
Barr. Lee Ming Yong,
(Principal Partner).

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