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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: " Mr Frank Tony" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrfrank_tony@live.com>
Date: Mon, 1 Jun 2009 11:14:29 -0700
Subject: URGENT RESPONSE!!!

>From the desk of Mr Frank Tony
 
Afribank Nig Plc, Lagos, Nigeria
 
I am Mr.frank tony, the Chief Audit Officer of Afribank Nig Plc Lagos- Nigeria and an accountant to the deceased who was from your country and was a contractor with Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
In my files I discovered that my customer abandoned the sum of US$12.5M(Twelve Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) in our bank.On a record before my department, on the 1st of June 2004 , he and his family were involved in a car accident along Lagos-Badagary Express road.
All occupants of the vehicle unfortunately lost their lives.Since after his demise, the bank has been expecting his next of kin to come over and make claim of this money which is currently deposited in our custody because the bank cannot release it directly to me or any other person unless somebody applies for the release of it as next of kin to the deceased as indicated in our mutual agreement (between the Deceased and Afribank Nig Plc), unfortunately his supposed next of kin died along with him at the fatal Auto Crash.
After several unsuccessful attempts to trace his relatives, I decided to trace your name as his relatives because he was from the same country with you.It is therefore upon the discovery of the ugly news that I now decided to make business with you to direct you on how to apply with this bank to assist in repatriating the money left behind by my friend before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank.
The quest of a foreigner as next of kin in this business is occasioned by the fact my customer was a foreigner and the next of kin been the wife died alongside with him and also a citizen of Nigeria cannot stand as next of kin to a foreigner.
Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over five years now, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased since
you bear the same last name as him and from the same country so that the proceeds of this account valued at US$12.5M can be paid to you and then you and I can share the money 70% to me and 30% to you.
All I require is your cooperation to enable us seeing this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of law.You are requested to email me back with your company's name and address / personal telephone and fax numbers and any form of your identification upon confirmation of your readiness to execute this magnificent transaction with me.Therefore, on receipt of your immediate response, we shall discuss the modalities.
I have an arrangement to obtain all the necessary documents to secure the transfer in your favor.I will appreciate your earliest
response via my address below,
 
Email:mrfrank_tony@live.com
 
Sincerely yours,
Mr.frank tony
 
Afribank Nig Plc

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