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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: Charles Brown <charlesbrown077@msn.com>
Reply-To: <cc_brown02@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2008 00:02:55 +0000
Subject: YOUR ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED








Greetings,

I am Mr.Charles Brown, A Canadian Attorney based in Manchester, United Kingdom
and the personal Attorney to Late Mr. Mark Michelle. Late Mr. Mark Michelle was
a private oil consultant/ contractor with the Shell Petroleum Development
Company in Saudi Arabia before his death,it may intrest you that my client died INTESTATE.
On the 3rd day of January 2004, my client and his wife along with their two
children were among the victims of Boeing 737 Egyptian Airliner that crashed
into the Red Sea. You can read more about the crash by visiting this website:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/3365769.stm

Since then, I have made several enquiries from the French embassies to locate
his next of kin or any of his extended relatives, but all to no avail. My
client made a deposit in a bank at Manchester valued presently at
GBP£49,000,000.00 (Forty Nine Million British Pounds) and the bank has
issued me an official notification to provide his next of kin or beneficiary by
will, otherwise the account will be confiscated within the next sixty (60)
working days.

Since I have been unsuccessful to locate any of my late client's relatives
for over three (3) years now, I seek your consent to permit me present you as
the next of kin/ beneficiary of my late client’s estate so that the proceeds
of this account would be transferred to you.

Already, I have set out modalities for achieving my aim of appointing a next of
kin as well as transfer the money out of this country, for us to share the money
in the ratio of 53% for me and 35% to you, The 2% of the fund will serve as
reimbursement of expenses any of us will make in the course of this
transaction. While we shall collectively donate the remaining balance of 10% to
Tsunami Relief Organizations.

It is my intention to achieve this transfer in a legitimate way, all I required
is your honest co-operation,confidentiality and trust to enable us see this
transaction through. This is a very legal business that I am very sure of its
success and is absolutely risk free.

Kindly signify your willingness to assist by sending me an email for further
procedures relating to this transaction. The email shall include the below
information:

1. Your telephone and fax numbers.
2. Your complete location address.
3. Your age.
4. Identification.Once I receive your positive response, I will then furnish you with more
details on how we shall proceed with the claim. I look forward to receiving
your prompt response.Regards,
Bar. Charles Brown

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