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: Chan Patrick <mr_pchan050@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2008 04:10:22 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: GET BACK TO ME.


Dear Friend,
 
l am in receipt of your mail and thank you for your interest to assit
me.Like i said earlier i have a secured business for you.
 
Before the U.S and Iraqi war 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 Dollars($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 , all that is required from you at this stage is for you to provide me with your Full Names and Address so that the attorney can commence his job. After you have been made the next of kin, the attorney will also file in for claims on your behalf and secure the necessary approval and letter of probate in your favor for the move of the funds to an account that will be provided by you.
 
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,please send me the following informations below,
 
1. Full names
2. Private phone number
3. Current residential address.
 
And  finally after that i shall provide you with more details of this transaction.
Your  earliest response to this letter will be highly appreciated.
 
Kind Regards,
 
Mr.Patrick Chan.
 

_______________________________________
YM - 離線訊息
就算你沒有上網,你的朋友仍可以留下訊息給你,當你上網時就能立即看到,任何說話都冇走失。
http://messenger.yahoo.com.hk

Anti-fraud resources: