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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: "Mr. Alan Street" <alanstreet01@admin.in.th>
Reply-To: alanstreet@ks-max.com
Date: Wed, 24 Nov 2010 03:51:13 -0600 (CST)
Subject: Dear Friend

I am Mr. Alan Street, An Auditor of a Bank here in Thailand. and I am
contacting you on a business transfer of a huge sum of money from a
deceased account. I discovered an abandoned sum of (US$7.4 Million United
States dollars in an account that belongs to one of our foreign customers
who died along with his entire family. We have made several inquiries to
his high commission to locate any of my clients extended Relatives, this
has also proved unsuccessful. After these several unsuccessful attempts, I
decided to trace his last name over the Internet, to locate any member of
his family; hence I contacted you.

Since his death, none of his next-of-kin or relations has come forward to
lay claims for this money. The funds can't be released from his account
unless someone applies for claim as the next-of-kin to the deceased as
indicated in our banking guidelines. I now seek your permission to have
you stand as a next of kin to the deceased as all documentations will be
carefully worked out by us for the funds (US$7.4 Million United States
dollars) to be released. Before it gets confiscated or declared
unserviceable by the Security Finance Firm.

I want you to know that I have planned everything out so that we shall
come out successful. I have contacted an attorney that will prepare the
necessary document that will back you up as the next of kin to deceased.

all that is required from you at this stage is for you to provide me with
your Full Names and Address so that the attorney can commence his job.
After you have been made the next of kin, the attorney will also file in
for claims on your behalf and secure the necessary approval and letter of
probate in your favor for the move of the funds to an account that will be
provided by you. There is no risk involved at all in the matter, its 100%
risk free as we are going to adopt a legalized method and the attorney
will prepare all the necessary documents. Please endeavor to observe
utmost discretion in all matters concerning this issue and we shall share
it the ratio of 60% for me while 40% for you. I await your mail if you are
interested through this email at alanstreet@ks-max.com and don't forget
to send me your full name and address. Have a nice day.

Regards
Mr. Alan Street.


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