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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: williamsfrank02@zipmail.com.br
Date: Tue, 23 Oct 2007 11:01:32 +0100
Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?GOOD=20DAY=20MY=20DEAR=2C?=

GOOD DAY MY DEAR,

I AM FRANK WILLIAMS, THE DIRECTOR IN CHARGE OF AUDITING AND ACCOUNTING SECTION
OF FINANCIAL BANK BENIN , COTONOU-BENIN REPUBLIC IN WEST AFRICA WITH DUE
RESPECT AND REGARD.

I HAVE DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU ON A BUSINESS TRANSACTION THAT WILL BE VERY
BENEFICIAL TO BOTH OF US AT THE END OF THE TRANSACTION. DURING OUR INVESTIGATION
AND AUDITING IN THIS BANK,MY DEPARTMENT CAME ACROSS A VERY HUGE SUM OF MONEY
BELONGING TO A DECEASED PERSON WHO DIED ON NOVEMBER 1999 IN A PLANE CRASH
AND 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 BEFORE
OUR DISCOVERY TO THIS DEVELOPMENT.

ALTHOUGH PERSONALLY, I KEPT THIS INFORMATION SECRET WITHIN MYSELF AND MY
PARTNERS TO ENABLE THE WHOLE PLANS AND IDEA BE PROFITABLE AND SUCCESSFUL
DURING THE TIME OF EXECUTION. THE SAID AMOUNT WAS US$15M (FIFTEEN MILLION
UNITED STATES DOLLARS).AS IT MAY INTEREST YOU TO KNOW, I GOT YOUR IMPRESSIVE
INFORMATION AT THE BUSINESS NET WHEN I WAS BROWSING AND SEARCHING FOR ARELIABLE
PERSON TO TRANSACT THIS GOD'S GIVING OPPORTUNITY WITH.

AND I BELIEVE THAT YOU WILL BE 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 TO THE DECEASED,AND TO 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
YOUR SELF TO THIS GREAT BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY.

IN FACT I COULD HAVE DONE THIS DEAL ALONE BUT BECAUSE OF MY POSITION IN
THIS COUNTRY AS A CIVIL SERVANT, WE ARE NOT ALLOWED
TO OPERATE A FOREIGN ACCOUNT AND WOULD EVENTUALLY RAISE AN EYE BROW ON MY
SIDE DURING THE TIME OF TRANSFER BECAUSE I WORK IN THIS BANK.

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 TO THE BANK
AND ALSO PRESENT A FOREIGN ACCOUNT WHERE HE WILL NEED THE MONEY TO BE RE-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 DESIGNATED 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 30% OF THE TOTAL SUM AS GRATIFICATION, WHILE 10% WILL BE SET
ASIDE TO TAKE CARE OF EXPENSES THAT MAY ARISE DURING THE TIME OF TRANSFER
AND ALSO TELEPHONE BILLS,WHILE 60% WILL BE FOR ME AND MY PARTNERS. PLEASE,YOU
HAVE BEEN ADVICED TO KEEP TOP SECRET AS WE ARE STILL IN SERVICE ANDINTEND
TO RETIRE FROM SERVICE AFTER WE CONCLUDE THIS DEAL WITH YOU.

I WILL BE MONITORING THE WHOLE SITUATION HERE IN THIS BANK UNTIL YOU CONFIRM
THE MONEY IN YOUR ACCOUNT.

AND ASK US TO COME DOWN TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR SUBSEQUENT SHARING OF THE FUNDACCORDING
TO PERCENTAGES PREVIOUSLY INDICATED AND FURTHER INVESTMENT, EITHER IN YOUR
COUNTRY OR ANY COUNTRY YOU ADVICE US TO INVEST IN. ALL OTHER NECESSARY INFORMATION
WILL BE SENT TO YOU WHEN I HEAR FROM YOU.

I SUGGEST YOU GET BACK TO ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE STATING YOUR WISH IN THIS
DEAL.YOU CAN REACH ME ON MY ALTERNATIVE EMAIL ADRESS FOR MORE DETAILS OK
(williamsfrank100@yahoo.it). OR TELEPHOPNE 00229 95 95 09 46.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,
FRANK WILLIAMS.





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