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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: <el04019@mail.ntua.gr>
Date: Sun, 29 Nov 2009 13:04:09 -0000
Subject: Dear Friend


Send me E-mail via:edginiward@gmail.com
Dear Friend,

I am Dr Edwin Gibson, The Computing Account Auditor of the Lloyds Bank
TSB,England.On the Month of January 2008 last year, My Bank committee on
Inheritance settlements approved and disbursed over £100,000,000.00 Pounds
Drafts to foreign Heirs of Late depositors funds in my Bank all over United
Kingdom.payment to beneficiaries were successful paid legitimately from last
year to this present day of the year 2009.This shows that beneficiaries
whose relations died and left over monies in their accounts with the Lloyds
Bank TSB London has been paid successfully.
But there is still a single remaining unclaimed Payment Draft File worth
£3,500,000.00 Million Pounds sterling outstanding in my bank office
Beneficiaries files which was never claimed by anyone. I have checked all
files and investigated this payment but i found out there is no person to
claim this remaining Draft worth £3,500,000.00 million pounds.

All our investigation to get to the relations of this unclaimed payment is
not fruitful and if this money is not claimed before End of November 2009,
my Bank will revert the money to the United Kingdom Government Revenue
Account and then i will loose this opportunity.
I am contacting you to cooperate with me as a foreigner to claim this
money.I will replace your name as the Heir of the Money and file your name
as the Heir of the £3,500,000 Million pounds to you as the next of kin
because you are a Foreigner.My Bank will release this payment to you as soon
as i provide them with your informations.
We will share this money by 50/50 each after you have received the money
into your bank account safely.This transaction is very safe and 100% Risk
free.Do not Disclose this secret to anyone.Reply back to me immediately.
Send me E-mail via: edginiward1@googlemail.com
Best Regards,
Dr Edwin Gibson,
Bank auditor
Lloyds bank of London
England

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