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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: "kong" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <zhyanlaifamily@aim.com>
Date: Wed, 25 May 2011 16:28:12 +0200
Subject: Waiting to hear from you

Good day

I am Mdm.Zhu Yanlai, the Assistant Chief Executive of Bank of China Hong Kong.
I will need you to assist me in executing a business project from our bank worth
US$30.5 Million. These funds were deposited with our bank by a customer who is
a national {citizen} of your country, who unfortunately died in December 26, 2004
in Asia Tsunami disaster. For more on this natural disaster click on these links:-

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2004/tsunami.disaster/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4381395.stm
http://www.globalsecurity.org/eye/andaman-us.htm

I shall furnish you with more information about this operation when I receive your responds.
Your earliest response to this letter will be highly appreciated.

Best Regards,
Mdm. Zhu Yanlai (Assistant Chief Executive of Bank of China Hong Kong).
Email: zhyanlaifamily@aim.com

Anti-fraud resources: