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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Bank" (may be fake)
Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2010 07:14:08 -0700
Subject: FROM THE BANK.

Attn: Sir

Why have you not been able to claim your contract fund before now?
I got a wind from a group that you gave them power of attorney to transfer your contract fund to this bank account below:
NORTHWEST TRUST BANK ONE OAKBROOK TERRACE, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, USA, 6023-1376 ABA ROUTING NO: 171000152 A/C NO: 12 49819 A/C NAME: TITAN ERECTORS, GERARD V. RADICE/KONZENG AGENT Do you have anything to do with this account?
After various investigations on my own part, this group claims to be your partner in the transaction and has forward bank details to us for transfer.
This further made me to do some further investigation as regards this contract payment and hence discovered to my caster nation that the executed contract was first awarded to a different group rather than you.
But I must emphasize that the said fund is real and that you are the rightful beneficiary to the fund. For me to be doubly sure, I require the following: YOUR FULL NAME/COMPANY NAME MAILING ADDRESS TEL/FAX NUMBERS CONTRACT DETAILS (amount, contract no., etc) BANK DETAILS This will enable me to make further impact in the said fund to counter the other group that is trying to take this fund.
We may have to swear an affidavit in this regard to make sure that the fund is secured. My proposition thus: On finalizing this deal, and the funds transferred into your account, we shall be entitled to 40% of the total fund while 60% goes to you.
If this is acceptable to you then we can commence immediately. I wait to hear from you urgently in this regard.

Sincerely,

Mr.Kweku Hanson,
Director International
Remittance Department.

Anti-fraud resources: