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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: ANDERSON MCGRAY<anderson.mcgray@accountant.com>
Date: Thu, 3 Feb 2011 20:00:56 +0530
Subject: CONTACT ME BACK IMMEDIATELY

 
 
Dear,
 
I am Mr. Anderson Mcgray. a Manager with Royal Bank of Scotland Plc, Holborn City
Branch. I have an urgent and very good offer to you. On June 6, 2006, an American
Oil Consultant Contractor with the Shell Petroleum Company Plc. Mr. Robert Noel
made a Fixed Deposit for twelve calendar months. Valued at US$2.5, 000,000.00 (Two
Million, Five hundred Thousand US Dollars only) in my branch upon maturity.
 
 
I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but got no reply. After a month,
we sent a reminder and finally we discovered from his contract employers the Shell
Petroleum Company Plc that Mr. Robert Noel died on air crash in 20 August 2008;
Spanair MD82; Flight 5022; Madrid, Spain. On further investigation, I found out that he
died without making "WILL" and all attempts to trace his next of kin was fruitless.
 
 
I therefore made further investigation and discovered that Mr. Robert Noel did not
declare any next of kin or relations in all his official documents, including his Bank
Deposit paperwork in my Bank. This sum of US$2.5, 000,000.00 is still sitting in my Bank
and the interest is being rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year.
No one has ever come forward to claim it. According to Law, at the expiration of 11th
(eleven) years, such money will be reverted to the Government if nobody applies as
the owner to claim it.
 
Fortunately, you are lucky, i read through your profile online and as an expert with
internet, i was assured and convinced that you are capable to handle this huge money
even to my utmost desire, this is why i contacted you. Also this transaction  is between
both of us no other party is involved. So you have to keep it confidential.
 
 
 
Nevertheless, my offer to you is that I will like you to act as the next of kin to Mr.
Robert Noel so that you can claim this fund from our bank. Definitely, I will spearhead
this transaction for your favor with my position as the bank manager, just adhere to
every instructions given to you in the course of this transaction.  Moreover my main
aim of contacting you for this transaction is that, after claiming this fund; instead of
allowing this fund to get into the hands of some corrupt government officials, i want
you to help me use this fund to open a motherless baby home and to improve the life
of people around you. Also, you are in a better position to lay this claim.
 
 
This transaction is very simple.  Therefore I will like you to provide immediately your
full name, and contact number so that a lawyer will prepare the necessary documents
and affidavits, which will put you in place as the next of kin and shall employ the service
of an attorney for drafting and notarization of the "WILL" and to obtain the necessary
documents and letter of probate and realization in your favor for the transfer.
I look forward to your earliest reply through this email address:
[anderson.mcgray@accountant.com]
 
 
Yours truly,
Anderson Mcgray
Branch Manager Royal Bank of Scotland.
 
MGRBUGREOVHWLSGWHTJOZCNTWOGVBEBZKCKJUP

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