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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: "MR WILLIAM YOUNG" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <wyoung2010@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2011 11:14:48 +0100
Subject: MUTUAL FINANCIAL BENEFIT

Sir, To ensure that you get this message I have attached a file to this mail. Please ensure you read the attached file and reply as soon as possible This is HTML source of message you composed. Do not modify here. To modify this message press HTML Messages Editor button.
MR WILLIAM YOUNG
CAPITEC GROUP LIMITED SOUTH AFRICA
PRIVTE EMAIL: wyoung2010@yahoo.co.jp
 
Dear Sir,
Complements of the day
 
Thank you for giving me your time. Please be patient and read my letter to you.
I am Mr. William Young a staff of CAPITEC Group attached in Private Banking Services. I am contacting you concerning a customer and, an investment placed under our banks management 5 years ago, I contacted you independently of our investigation and no one is informed of this communication and I would like to intimate you with certain facts that I believe would be of interest to you. In 2006, the subject matteref: bb/capitec/bank/73 came to our bank to engage in business discussions with our Private Banking Services Department. He informed us that he had a financial portfolio of $13.35 million United States Dollars, which he wished to, have us turn over on his behalf. I was the officer assigned to his case; I made numerous suggestions in line with my duties as the de-facto chief operations officer of the Private Banking Services Department. We met on numerous occasions prior to any investments being placed. I encouraged him to consider various growth funds with prime rating
 
Please observe this instruction religiously. Please, again, note I am a family man; I happily married with two kids. I send you this letter not without a measure of fear as to what the consequences might be, but I know within me that nothing ventured is nothing gained and that success and riches never come easy or on a platter of gold. This is the one truth I have learned from my private banking clients. Do not betray    my confidence. If we can be of one accord, we should plan a meeting, soon.
I await your response.
 
Best regards
 
MR WILLIAM YOUNG

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