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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: "Micheal Dunn" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <micheal_dunn202@live.com>
Date: Sun, 22 May 2011 02:18:16 +0100
Subject: Your Inheritance Fund.

From: Micheal Dunn
Add: 107 Cheapside
London EC2V 6DN United Kingdom
Tel/Fax: +44 792 427 8538  
Email: micheal_dunn202@live.com
Date: 19-05-2011
                                                     
Dear Sir,
 
RE: MY LATE CLIENT ESTATE FUND.
I am Micheal Dunn, From United Kingdom, I was the personal adviser to late Mr. Philip, who was a business man, Herein after shall be referred to as my Client. On the 11th of November 2004, my client died of a chronic cancer in Madrid Spain. I know that my client had no other living kin as he has no wife, but I went ahead and made several inquiries to see if i can locate any of his extended relatives but this has proved Unsuccessful. I only did so to be double sure of this Fact.
 
After these several unsuccessful attempts, i came across your contact with thesame last name, hence I decided to contact you to assist In repatriating the money and Property left behind by my late client before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the institution where he has a deposit valued at US$40.5 million (Forty Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars) This deposit will be confiscated if not claimed and shall be taken over as unclaimed since there is no Next of Kin or relative to claim the fund and properties.  Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the Relatives for over some years now and came across your contact with thesame last name, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased since you have same last name with him, so that this deposit can be released to you, while we will discuss on how to share or invest in your country or company.
I can secure all necessary legal Documents that can be used to back up any claim we may make. All I require is your honest and sincere co-operation to enable us see this deal through. I guarantee you a 100% risk free transaction and also assure you that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you and in from any breach of the law as long as you treat it confidential to yourself.
I do not want the institution to confiscate this large sum of money as it will be very beneficial to us. Please every modality has been worked out for a smooth and successfull transacton.
 
Do feel free to call me on as soon as you receive this mail.
 
Thanks and God bless you,
 
Yours in Service
 
Micheal Dunn.

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