joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

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:

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr.Chan Chankok Choy" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <chanchankokchoy@ovi.com>
Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2011 20:17:07 +0700
Subject: Urgent from Mr Chan.

Dear Sir,

I am Mr. Chankok Choy, GM of Cambodia Public Bank,Phnom penh branch.

I have an urgent and very confidential business proposition for you.
On December 6, 2003, an American consultant/contractor with the
Cambodia government Mrs. Ann Barbara Myers made a
numbered time (Fixed) Deposit for twelve calendar months, valued at
US$8,000,000.00(Eight Million Dollars) in my branch. Upon
maturity, I sent a routine notification to her forwarding address but
got no reply. After a month, we sent a reminder and finally we
discovered from her contract employers, the that Mrs. Ann Barbara Myers died from a ghastly
automobile accident. On further investigation, I found out that she
died without making a WILL, and all attempts to trace his next of kin
was fruitless.

I therefore made further investigation and discovered that Mrs. Ann
Barbara Myers did not declare any next of kin or relations in all her
official documents, including her Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank.
This sum of US$8,000,000.00 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 will ever come forward to claim it. According to
Cambodian Law, at the expiration of 8 (Eight)years, the money will
revert to the ownership of the Cambodian Government if nobody applies
to claim this fund.

Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as a foreigner
to stand in as the next of kin to Mrs. Ann Barbara Myers so that the
fruits of this woman's labor will not get into the hands of some
corrupt government officials. This is simple, I will like you to
provide immediately your full names and address so that the Attorney
will prepare the necessary documents and affidavits which will put you
in place as the next of kin.

We shall employ the services of two Attorneys for drafting and
notarization of the WILL and to obtain the necessary
documents and letter of probate/administration in your favor for the
transfer.

We would need you as a Foreigner acting as the next of kin and sole
benefactor to the inheritance of Mrs. Ann Barbara Myers.

The money will be paid to you for us to share in the ratio of 70% for
me and 30% for you. There is no risk at all as all the paperwork for
this transaction will be done by the Attorney and my position as the
Branch Manager guarantees the successful execution of this
transaction.

If you are interested, please reply immediately .

Observe utmost confidentiality, and rest assured that this
transaction would be most profitable for both of us because I shall
require your assistance to invest my share in your country.

Waiting for your urgent response.

Regards.

Mr. Chankok Choy.


Anti-fraud resources: