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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: Stephane Devos <manager.stephanedevos@ovi.com>
Reply-To: mmgstephanedevos@hotmail.com
Date: Tue, 3 May 2011 14:03:41 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: I NEED YOUR URGENT REPLY


Att,

My name is Mr. Stephane Devos, a Business Manager with Foreign Trade Bank(Cambodia office), am as well an account officer to a deceased customer of our bank, that shares the same last name as yours Steyn, who died on a car accident with his wife and two children along Cambodian Thai-way on November 16th 2004. His account of US$18,765,000.00 million with us has been unclaimed due to unavailability of next of kin/relatives to claim his estate. In accordance with the escheat laws in Cambodia as a kingdom.

the Board of Directors of the bank met forth night ago and resolved to turn the estate of the deceased over to Government pause having waited for too long without the deceased relatives/next of kin surfacing property and if this is done, invariably, the funds will end up to become Government property and it is as a result of this that am moved to contact you considering the fact that you share almost the same name with the deceased Steyn. Hope the money will be intact pending until my physical arrival at your end for sharing?

In view of this, am seeking your cooperation and understanding to stand as the deceased next of kin to enable us claim the inheritance before the period given by the bank elapse. All I require is your honest co-operation and I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. Please accept my apologies and keep my confidence. At the end of the transfer you shall have 40% of the total amount.

Considering the money involved, and due to the nature of this transaction, it is necessary for you to be sure of whom you are transacting with. I want to be sure that you are ready, to execute this transaction with me, What I expect from you is trust and commitment, I want this large sum of money transferred with your assistance and you should have nothing to worry about regarding legality at all because what affects you Shall also affects me too, but I will appreciate you to follow my directives amicably as everything shall be done in accordance passing through all international banking laws, and as a banker I know that if we follow up this transaction diligently it would be completed within 14 working days.

Do not fail to get back to me as soon as you have receive this mail to enable us discuss further, with your telephone and fax numbers for easy communication and oral discussion.

I await your prompt reply on this.
Kind Regards
Mr. Stephane Devos.



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