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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: "Mr. James Khumalo" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <jmskhm@aol.com>
Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:31:15 +0200
Subject: GOOD DAY.

From: Mr. James Khumalo
 
 
Greetings!
I am Mr. James Khumalo, Head Accounts Management Section of a well-known Bank here in  South Africa .One of our accounts with holding balance of $15.300,000.00 (Fifteen  One Million Three Hundred Thousand United State Dollars)  has been dormant and last operated in the past four (4) years. From investigations and confirmations, the owner of this account is a Hong Kong Foreigner by name *Engr Wing Chiu Lee died on the 4th of January 2003 in an automobile accident along Pretoria N1 High-Way. Since then nobody has done anything as regards to the claiming of this money as he has no family member that is aware of the existence of either the account or the fund. Several attempt to trace any of his relative proof abortive and also Information from the National Immigration office states that late *Engr Wing Chiu Lee *was single on point of entry into South Africa.
Our Financial Institution is presently and by law the custodian of the money belonging to the deceased, whose account I am responsible for monitoring and officiating. The present mandate I have to present a credible beneficiary opens the way for us to take advantage of the situation and use the money to positively affect the lives of many instead of allowing the funds to be completely lost, since no one knows about the money and no one will come forward to claim the money as we already know.
I have confidentially discussed this issue with some of the bank officials and we have agreed to find a reliable foreign partner to deal with. We thus propose to do business with you, standing in as the next of kin of this fund from the deceased and fund released to you after due processes have been followed.
This transaction is totally free of risk and troubles as the fund is Legitimate and does not originate from drug or money laundry.
On your interest, please send me your contact telephone number, full names,
occupation and residential address.
Sincerely,
Mr. James Khumalo
 

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