419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- ",000,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "observe utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- mr.kbh6@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Mr.KOH@mail.mahaska.org, BOON@mail.mahaska.org, HWEE@mail.mahaska.org,
mr.kbh6@yahoo.com.hk
Reply-To: mr.kbh6@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 21 Jul 2010 19:25:40 -0500
Subject: G/F, The Center,

Mr. KOH BOON HWEE
DBS Bank Ltd
G/F, The Center,
99 Queen's Road Central,
Central,
Hong Kong
Dear Friend,

I am Mr. KOH BOON HWEE, Managing Director DBS Bank Ltd, Hong Kong.
I am contacting you with respect to a portfolio amounting to $30,520,000 USD
(Thirty Million, Five Hundred and Twenty Thousand United States Dollar)
deposited by a German Merchant named Mr. Jurgen Zimmermann.

On the 12th of August 2004 Mr. Jurgen Zimmermann deposited $14,000,000 USD
(Twelve Million United States Dollars) under our portfolio management
department for four years and the deposit matured on the 18th of October
2006 with over 196% growth which amounted to a total of $30,520,000 USD
(Thirty Million, Five Hundred and Twenty Thousand United States Dollar).

Mr. Jurgen Zimmermann has since passed away without stating his next of kin
because he deposited the funds in our establishment at a point he was
finalizing divorcing his wife and had no kids coupled with the fact that he
was an orphan, this funds has since mature and the roll-over on the funds
has also expired.

This sum of $30,520,000 USD (Thirty Million, Five Hundred and Twenty
Thousand United States Dollar) is still in my possession in my Bank lifeless
and unnoticed because there will never be a claim on the funds and all
material and immaterial documents and certificates relating to the funds is
also in my possession.

According to the Hong Kong Law regulating cases of this nature which is also
typical to other Asian countries, at the expiration of 7(seven) years, such
funds will revert to the ownership of the Government for financing military
operations, such as purchasing of arms and ammunitions for the military. In
order to avert this negative development, I will like to seek for your
permission as a foreigner to stand as the next of kin to Mr. Jurgen
Zimmermann so that the fruits of this old man's labor will not be use for
financing weapons which will further enhance the courses of war in the world
in general.

The money will be paid into your account for us to share in the ratio of 60%
for me and 35% for you and the balance of 5% for will be responsible for the
major /trivial expenses incurred in the course of the transaction.

There is no risk at all as all the paperwork for this project will be done
by my attorney and with my position as the credit officer guarantees the
successful execution of this project. If you are interested, please reply
immediately.

Upon your response, I shall then provide you with further information's and
modalities that will help you understand the transaction.

You should observe utmost confidentiality, and rest assured that this
project would be most profitable for both parties because I shall require
your assistance to invest my share in your country.
mr.kbh6@gmail.com
Awaiting your urgent reply.
Thanks and regards,

Mr. Koh Boon Hwee .

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam