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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: "Mr. Patrick Agbandu" <wagbandu1@ig.com.br>
Reply-To: patrickagbandu@mail.az
Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:35:55 -0700
Subject: Dear friend


Dear friend,



I come to you with this legitimate business which will be a mutual benefit
for both us. I am Mr. Patrick Agbandu. The Manager, Bill and Treasury
Department of Spring Bank Plc. During our bank routine check, we discovered
the sum of $24M (Twenty-Four Million United States Dollars Only) in a
domiciliary account which belongs to one of our foreign customers, late Mr.
Ente Clark an expatriate who works with Oil Company here in Nigeria before
his accidental death on Friday, the 9th day of Dec. 2005 via Ill-fated
Sosoliso Air Crash.



Our bank is planning to freeze his account now and transfer his money to
Federal Government account as unclaimed bill since nobody comes up to claim
his money and I don't want to loose this money as this will be an
opportunity for both of us to make money. I now want to transfer this money
to you for safekeeping/disbursement. I know that a transaction of this
magnitude will make you worried and apprehensive but I want to assure you
and let you know that I have perfected and concluded the whole arrangement
for the smooth operation of this transaction and immediate transfer of this
money to you. The request for you to stand as next of kin is that, the late
decease was a foreigner and I cannot be a next of kin to a foreigner.



I want to re-assure you that this transaction is 100% legitimate and hitch
free. All I needed from you is your honesty, sincererity, co-operation and
assurance to me that my own share will be release to me after the transfer
of this money to you. Due to the nature of this transaction, you have to
keep this transaction absolute secret/confidential till we get this money
into your account.



Trusting to hear from you immediately to enable us proceed further.



Thanks and yours sincerely,

Mr. Patrick Agbandu.

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