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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "HAVEN GATE FOUNDATION" <havengatefoundation27@gmail.com>
Reply-To: havengatefoundation11@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2008 05:40:23 +0100
Subject: URGENT


*Haven Gate Foundation
Rumumasi Street,
PortHarcourt, Nigeria.
Good day my dear friend,I hope you are fine and good , I am waiting with
great anticipation to hear from you regarding my offer I am Rev.Smith Tamono
a director of the above mentioned foundation.I am writing you in regard to a
good friend of mine and founder of Haven Gate Foundation foreigner who was
the managing director of an Oil marketing firm here in Ghana. He established
this foundation to help less privileged minority people in our society which
it was doing before the unfortunate death of its founder. I am to conduct a
standard process Investigation/Recommendation on behalf of The Bank
Ghana.This involves the late founder of our foundation who shares the same
surname with you and also the circumstances surrounding his private funds
deposited with The National Bank PortHarcourt, the bank contacted me a month
ago as the director of his foundation and a trustee to recommend a next of
kin to the funds since he (Our Late founder) died intestate and nominated no
successor in title over the fund deposit made with the bank amounting to
US$10 Million (Ten Million Dollars). The essence of this communication with
you is to request that you provide me with information/comments on any or
all of the four issues as regards nominating you to inherit the fund left
behind since you are a foreigner with the same surname hence eligible to
stand for claim of the funds. I have therefore contacted you to be legally
nominated as next of kin (inheritor) to Our Late founder after all inquiries
and investigation even with the relevant embassy has yielded results showing
that there is no known or living next of kin. You are required therefore to
answer this questions to enable me make my recommendation to The National
Bank PortHarcourt
-Can you confirm your willingness to accept this inheritance if you are
legally and legitimately nominated through my recommendation to the bank and
approved to stand as inheritor to this funds.
-Would you agree to donate 60% of this inheritance to our charity
organization if you are officially recommended to the bank in my powers to
stand as the inheritor?
To know more about our charity organization please contact me. You must
appreciate that I am constrained from providing you with more detailed
information at this point.
Please respond to this mail as soon as possible to afford me the opportunity
to provide you with more information on this matter and upon your consent
proceed with the recommendation of your person to the bank as the inheritor
of the funds.
Thank you for accommodating this inquiry.Remain Blessed.
Rev.Smith Tamono*

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