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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: "John Wood" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <wjohn1208@aol.com>
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 2009 23:41:35 -0800
Subject: Notification of bequest

John Wood LLP
Will & Probate Solicitors
61 Gray`s Road London WC1X 8TH
Fax: +44-700-596-1494
Email: wjohn1208@aol.com

Compliments,

I know that this mail will come to you as a surprise, Please accept the

content in good faith. I do not intend to cause any grief to you and your

family. The reason for sending this mail is very fundamental to the doctrine

of human privileges and right. My name is Barrister John Wood a legal

practitioner based in London and the personal Attorney to late Mr. Adams, a

national of your country who died along with his wife and two sons who died

in the Tube explosion between King's Cross-and Russell Square in London.

My client was a successful and is an accomplished family man, who made

enough fortune before his untimely death. Since then I had made several

Inquiries through your Embassy to locate any of my clients extended relative

but this exercise has proved unsuccessful. After several unsuccessful

attempts, I decided to trace his relatives through the Internet, to locate

any member of his family, not much progress was recorded. My late client was

an influential wealthy businessman, an oil merchant here in London and he

left behind a deposit of Twelve Million Two Hundred Thousand United States

Dollars only ($12.2Millionusd) in his domiciliary bank account in a

commercial bank here in London.

After the death of my client his bankers contacted me, as his Attorney to

provide his next of kin who should inherit his funds. The board of directors

of his bank adopted a resolution and I was mandated to provide his next of

kin for the payment of this money within 28 Working days or forfeit the

money to the bank as an abandoned property. The bankers had planned to

invoke the abandoned property decree of 1996 to confiscate the funds after

the expiration of the period given to me.

Fortunately, I came across your name, to my greatest astonishment, I

discovered that you bear the same surname with my late client and

coincidentally, you are nationals of the same country. Being convinced that

you may be related with my late client or that you might provide clue to my

search, I therefore, decided to contact with these facts before me, because

of the similarities. By virtue of my closeness to the deceased and his

immediate family, I am very much aware of my
client financial standing and the bank account he operates.

I have reasoned very professionally and I feel it will be legally proper to

present you as the next of kin of my deceased client, so that you can be

paid the funds left in his bank account. I therefore seek your consent to

present you as the Next of Kin to the Deceased since you are at an

advantage, bearing the same surname and equally from the same country that

the proceeds of this Bank Account valued at $12.2 Million Dollars can be

paid to you. We shall both share the funds. 40% for me and 55% to you, while

5% should be for Expenses or your Government may require as Tax.

I shall assemble all the necessary Legal Documents that will be used to back

up our claim. All I require is your honest 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.

Please get in touch with me by email with the information below to enable us

discuss further.

Full names:
Address:
Telephone and fax numbers:
Age:
Marital Status:
Occupation:
A copy of your identity:

For privacy and confidentiality reply using my fax: +44-700-596-1494 or

email: wjohn1208@aol.com.I will be expecting to hear from you.

Best Regards

John Wood.

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