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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: "HMC" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mxseng@aim.com>
Date: Fri, 22 Apr 2011 19:47:18 +0200
Subject: GM Holding

Your Attention:

I am contacting you from Hong Kong China. I was formerly employed as an investment banker with an offshore Bank in Hong Kong. A former colleague of mine, who is now a senior Accounts Manager with the bank delegated me to contact you with regards to an Iraqi client of the bank (name with held) who opened an account with the bank in June 2001. The last activity on this account dates back to April 24, 2005. But on May 5, 2006, there were some unusual activities on this account which raised a red flag and serious room for suspicion. There were series of withdrawals made from the account via written instructions with checks but there were no checks issued to the account holder for the account, all withdrawals made by the account holder were designed to be made either online or by written instructions which must be backed up by a phone call to the bank 24 hours after the withdrawal to authenticate the withdrawals but that did not happen at this time. There was absolutely no phone call.

I am quite aware that you may feel somewhat uncomfortable and apprehensive about this mail and unsure as to why I contacted you. The reason I have contacted you is because the financial laws of China states that all banks are required to report and transfer bank accounts that have remained dormant for over four (4) years to the Bureau of Public Trust as unclaimed and abandoned funds. If you accept to receive this funds, we are very confident that with your cooperation, this funds can be moved to your designated accounts successfully provided you can give us guarantee that our interest will be well secured. Every documents to show that you are the TRUSTEE AND CUSTODIAN to the funds will be provided. You are kindly advised to provide the following details: Your Full names and Address, Your date and place of birth, Your private telephone details and profession.

Do respond to my private email for sake of security: mxseng@aim.com


Anticipating your timely response

Yours sincerely,

PWT


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