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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: "Dr.Wong Chan" <w0ngchan@rediffmail.com>
Reply-To: wongchan@rediffmail.com
Date: Wed, 20 Apr 2011 21:59:21 +0800
Subject: Good day,

Good day,
With regard and respect, I crave your indulgence, knowing that this will
be a surprise to you. I am Dr. Wong Chan, accredited legal representative
to late Mr. Adam, who was here in referred to as my client. He died as a
result of a heart related illness in the Month of November 2004.

I have contacted you to assist in the transferring of the funds left
behind by my late client Mr.Adam before it will be declared unserviceable
and confiscated by the custodian bank, and the deposit valued
(US$6,525,000.00) Six Million Five Hundred and Twenty-Five Thousand States
Dollars. This bank has issued me a notice to contact the family relative
or have the account confiscated by the Government.

My proposition to you is to seek your humble consent in presenting you as
the family relative of and beneficiary to my late client's Estates funds
so the proceeds of this account can be remitted into your account so we
can both share the funding on a mutually agreed percentage 35% for you and
65% for me. All legal documentations to back up the transfer to you will
be acquired by me. All I require is your absolute honesty, cooperation and
total adherence to my instructions, to enable me get funds transfer into
your account smoothly.

That is inheritance claim and it is not against the law, therefore I will
be executed under a legitimate arrangement, which will protect you from
any infraction of the law local and internationally by providing the
covering documents from the origin of the fund to certify the legality of
the fund. If this proposition offends your moral ethics, do accept my
sincere apology. On the contrary, if it pleases you, then contact me with
urgency and give me your telephone number for discussion and immediately
proceed.

I shall await your response.

Best regards,
Dr.Wong Chan.

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