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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: "PATRICK CHAN" <maris77@internode.on.net>
Reply-To: patrick_ch0006@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Wed, 07 Nov 2007 20:05:45 -0500
Subject: LETTER FROM PATRICK CHAN, WRITE BACK.

Dear Friend,
I am Mr.Patrick Chan,Executive Director and Chief Financial
Officer of the operations of the Hang Seng Bank Ltd.I have a
secured business suggestion for you.Our client Col. Hosam
Hassan who was with the Iraqi forces and also business man
made a numbered fixed deposit for 18 calendar months,with a
value of Thirty million United State Dollars($30,000,000.00)
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 Col.Hosam Hassan and his family had
been killed during the war in bomb blast that hit their
home.
After further investigation it was also discovered that Col.
Hosam Hassan 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,Thirty
million United State Dollar($30,000,000.00) 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 laws of my
country at the expiration 4 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 Col. Hosam Hassan 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 Col. Hosam Hassan. There
is no risk involved at all in the matter as we are going to
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 contact me via my private
email,

patrick_ch0006@yahoo.com.hk

With the below informations.
1. Full names
2. Private phone number
3. Current residential address.

After that i shall provide you with more details of this
transaction.Your earliest response to this letter will be
highly appreciated.

Regards,
Mr.Patrick Chan.

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