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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: "Howard Richards" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <hrichardco@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 2009 18:13:05 -0600
Subject: I CRAVE YOUR INDULGENCE TO READ THIS MAIL


FROM THE DESK OF HOWARD RICHARDS
FINANCIAL ADVISOR & MANAGER,
REED CONSULTING FIRM.LONDON.


Dear Sir,

I am Howard Richards, Group Finance advisor. Recently, a staff of Robinson and Reed Consulting for Financial institutions contacted you concerning an investment placed under a financial firm management 5 years ago.This involve an unclaimed Dormat Vault worth US$12,450,000.00 of a deceased without a next of kin signed.

I would respectfully request that you keep the contents of this mail confidential and respect the integrity of the information you come by as a result of this mail. I contact you independently of our investigation and no one is informed of this communication. I would like to intimate you with certain facts that I believe would be of interest to you.

FACT:
The bank will not Release the funds from his account unless someone applied for claim as the next-of-kin/beneficiary to the deceased. After five years, the funds was called back to the bank treasury as unclaimed bills and the money shared amongst the directors of the bank which was done in mid 2006. At that period he had US$12,450,000.00 in his account.

PROPOSITION:
Due to the relationship between the deceased & I,(Bernard Poirier) he intimated me about a diamond business Which he had to take care of and left me in custody of the CERTIFICATE OF DEPOSIT which he used to lodge some funds in a Security firm to the tune of $8.4m (Eight million four Hundred thousand dollars).Note: that I decided to seek for whom his/her name shall be used as the next of kin/beneficiary to claim the funds at the security firm rather than allow the funds lay unclaimed. It may interest you to know that I have secured from the probate a WRIT OF MANDAMUS to locate any of the deceased's beneficiaries again; No One was found. Please acknowledge the receipt Of this message in acceptance of our mutual business endeavour by furnishing me with the following informations if you are interested:


1. Full name ,in order for me to prepare the document in your name.
2. Direct telephone and fax numbers for our Personal Interactions & Contact, and mutual trust in each other.

With much regards,
Howard Richard(Esq)
Howard Richards and Co
125 High Holborn
London Gt.
England, United Kingdom, WC1V 6QA
could be found in this link among the registered solicitors
http://www.solicitors-england.co.uk/property_solicitors.htm

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