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: "david benson" <david44benson00@latinmail.com>
Date: Wed, 25 Jul 2007 19:32:31 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: CONFIDENTIAL PROPOSAL PLEASE TREAT AS URGENT.


FROM THE DESK OF DR .BENSON
BILL AND EXCHANGE MANAGER
BANK OF AFRICA.
OUAGADOUGOU, BURKINA FASO.

TOP SECRET
DEAR FRIEND

I AM DR. DAVID BENSON. THE BILL AND EXCHANGE MANAGER AT THE FOREIGN REM=
ITTANCE DEPARTMENT OF BANK OF AFRICA. I GOT YOUR CONTACT FROM THE INTER=
NET ,WHILE SEARCHING FOR AN HONEST AND TRUST WORTHY PERSON, WHO WILL AS=
SIST ME TO IMPLEMENT THIS TRANSFER DISCOVERED THE SUM OF TWENTY TWO MIL=
LION AND FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS (USD22.5M) BELONGI=
NG TO A DECEASED CUSTOMER OF THIS BANK.

THE FUND HAS BEEN LYING IN A SUSPENSE ACCOUNT WITHOUT ANYBODY COMING TO=
PUT CLAIM OVER THE MONEY SINCE THE ACCOUNT OWNER LATE MR JOHN KOROVO F=
ROM JORDAN, WHO WAS INVOLVED IN THE DECEMBER 25TH 2003 BENIN PLANE CRAS=
H. HERE IS THE AIR CRASH WEBSITE ON CN
HTTP://WWW.CNN.COM/2003/WORLD/AFRICA/12/26/BENIN.CRASH/INDEX.HTML

THE SAID FUND IS NOW READY FOR TRANSFER TO A FOREIGN ACCOUNT WHOSE OWNE=
R WILL BE PORTRAYED AS THE BENEFICIARY AND NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASED =
CUSTOMER OF THE BANK. SINCE WE GOT INFORMATION ABOUT HIS DEATH, WE HAVE=
BEEN EXPECTING HIS NEXT OF KIN TO COME OVER AND CLAIM HIS MONEY BECAUS=
E WE CANNOT RELEASE IT UNLESS SOMEBODY APPLIES FOR IT AS NEXT OF KIN OR=
RELATION TO THE DECEASED AS INDICATED IN OUR BANKING GUIDELINES AND LA=
WS BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE LEARNT THAT ALL HIS SUPPOSED NEXT OF KIN OR REL=
ATION DIED ALONGSIDE WITH HIM AT THE PLANE CRASH LEAVING NOBODY BEHIND =
FOR THE CLAIM.

IT IS THEREFORE UPON THIS DISCOVERY THAT I DECIDED TO MAKE THIS BUSINES=
S PROPOSAL TO YOU AND RELEASE THE MONEY TO YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN OR RE=
LATION TO THE DECEASED FOR SAFETY AND SUBSEQUENT DISBURSEMENT SINCE NOB=
ODY IS COMING FOR IT AND I DON'T WANT THIS MONEY TO GO INTO THE BANK TR=
EASURY AS UNCLAIMED BILL.

THE BANKING LAW AND GUIDELINE HERE STIPULATES THAT IF SUCH MONEY REMAIN=
ED UNCLAIMED AFTER FIVE YEARS, THE MONEY WILL BE TRANSFERRED INTO THE B=
ANK TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED FUND. THE REQUEST OF FOREIGNER AS NEXT OF KIN=
IN THIS BUSINESS IS OCCASSIONED BY THE FACT THAT THE CUSTOMER WAS A FO=
REIGNER AND A BURKINABE CANNOT STAND AS NEXT OF KIN TO A FOREIGNER. I T=
HEREFORE AM SOLICITING FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE TO COME FORWARD AS THE NEXT =
OF KIN.

I HAVE AGREED THAT 40% OF THIS MONEY WILL BE FOR YOU AS THE BENEFICIARY=
IN RESPECT OF THE PROVISION OF YOUR ACCOUNT AND SERVICES RENDERED, 55%=
WOULD BE FOR ME WHILE 5% WILL BE FOR EXPENSES INCURED DURING THE CAUSE=
OF THIS TRANSACTION IF THE MONEY IS TRANSFERRED TO YOUR ACCOUNT FROM B=
ANK OF AFRICA,

I AND MY FAMILY IN THIS TRANSACTION WILL PROCEED IMMEDIATELY TO YOUR
COUNTRY FOR OUR OWN SHARE OF THE MONEY. I EXPECT YOU TO KEEP THIS
BUSINESS STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL AND SECRET AS YOU MAY WISH TO KNOW THAT =
I AM BANK OFFICIAL.

BE REST ASSURED THAT THIS BUSINESS IS 100% RISK FREE ON BOTH SIDE AND E=
VERY ARRANGEMENT TO TRANSFER THIS MONEY TO THE ACCOUNT YOU ARE GOING TO=
PROVIDE HAVE BEEN CONCLUDED PROVIDED WE MAINTAIN THE CONFIDENTIALITY A=
ND SECRECEIRITY INVOLVED.

CONTACT ME ON MY PRIVATE PHONE NUMBER ( 226-76172071. OR EMAIL ADDRESS =
AT () I AM LOOKING FORWARD FOR YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,
DR. DAVID BENSON.

Las nuevas aventuras de Harry Potter, a un clic! http://www.starmedia.c=
om/entretenimiento/especiales/novedades.html

Las nuevas aventuras de Harry Potter, a un clic! http://www.starmedia.c=
om/entretenimiento/especiales/novedades.html

Anti-fraud resources: