joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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: "T. VELTMAN." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <thierryveltman@aol.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Feb 2010 08:36:41 -0800
Subject: RE: HELLO.

Dear Friend,

I work as an international auditor for a reputable Bank
(ALM) Asset Liability Managerial department monitoring five
branches including Singapore, Belgium and Netherlands. I
have taken pains to find your contact through personal
endeavors which I may explain to you upon your response.

A possible family member of yours (name withheld for
security reason) died nine months ago leaving behind an
investment totaling a very tidy sum with my bank.
With interest at today's value, the said investment has
grown considerably.

His lawyer has since notified my department of the sudden
death of the said investor in a car crash and the lawyer has
also asked us to check through our records to see who his
client may have indicated as next of kin to the investment,
since the fiance (Derby Myrthe) who was indicated in his
WILL as beneficiary to most of his properties also died in
the same car crash.

Findings and verification as auditor in the bank has led me
to realize that the investor has also named his fiance as
next of kin to the investment.

We have as yet not informed anyone of this because of the
implications, the investor's lawyer will obviously handover
his properties including the investment to the government
which will in turn be shared amongst undeserving government
officials.

However, because of the relevance of the sameness of your
surname and you being a possible relative to the late
investor, we are making you this proposal since my boss and
I can provide you with much needed information to claim the
investment.

You are guaranteed that this will be executed under a
legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach
of the law, as the funds did not originate from terrorism or
drugs, but through inheritance.

Please kindly reply through my private email (thierryveltman@aol.com)
to confirm your full name, telephone and fax number to
enable us discuss and facilitate all due process regarding
this transaction.

Yours truly,
Thierry.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------
This communication, together with any attachments hereto or
links contained herein, is for the sole use of the intended
recipient(s) and may contain information that is
confidential or legally protected. If you are not the
intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any
review,disclosure, copying, dissemination, distribution or
use of this communication is STRICTLY PROHIBITED. If you
have received this communication in error, please notify the
sender immediately by return e-mail message and delete the
original and all copies of the communication, along with any
attachments hereto or links herein, from your system.

Anti-fraud resources: