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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: "Bolkiah"<bolkiah.muda@yahoo.co.uk>
Reply-To: <bolkiahmuda@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 4 Oct 2009 13:57:55 +0100
Subject: YOUR ASSISTANCE

NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE FROM BRUNEI

Hello, I am contacting you via your email address because its the only means presently available for me to reach you for assistance. By way of Introduction, I am MUDA F. BOLKIAH, the son of JEFRI BOLKIAH who was the former Finance Minister along side chairman of the Brunei Investment Agency (BIA). Before I proceed, I would like you to view the websites below for a better understanding of our problem here in Brunei:-

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/670959.stm
http://www.asiaweek.com/asiaweek/magazine/2000/0310/nat.brunei.jefri.html

As you may know from the international media above, the Sultan had falsely accused my father of financial mismanagement and impropriety of US$14.8 Billion. The huge loss was as a result of the Asian financial crisis which made government owned Brunei Investment Agency (BIA) to be declared bankrupt.

My father was relieved of his post as Finance Minister of Brunei and was also stripped of his chairmanship post as head of the nation's international investment arm, the Brunei Investment Agency (BIA) which controls 13 companies & Brunei's overseas assets.

However, my father was arrested; all our personal properties including assets and bank accounts were later confiscated by the Brunei government. During this unfortunate period I was to evacuate the sultanate to avoid further prosecution from the sultan and his security operatives but I was placed under house arrest inline with a court order.

Before my arrest, I had dispatched some money over US$500 Million under special arrangement abroad and now I seek your good will & assistance to receive and invest these funds into profitable business investment in your country to facilitate future survival for my family. I am afraid that this amount $500 Million would be found as it is the reason why I am being held under house arrest and so I need to move out this funds from its present location into your hand for investment purposes in your country and elsewhere ASAP.

I shall explain to you the modalities for the release of this funds which where moved out in Metalic Trunk Boxes and lodged into storage warehouses under diplomatic arrangements. I need your assistance to proceed to the warehouses to collect the trunk Boxes on my behalf and secure the funds for my family by invest the funds into your country economy.

If you are not disposed to assist, then kindly introduce me to any of your reliable friend, relative OR business associate whom you deem fit and capable to assist retrieve my trunk boxes containing the money as you would be adequately compensated thereafter.

I am counting on your absolute confidentiality, honesty and trust towards a swift conclusion of this transaction.

Awaiting your positive reply.

Sincerely,

Muda Fayad Bolkiah
London EC1Y 2BJ
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 704-577-5962

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