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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: "William McGill" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <johnelias@gmx.com>
Date: Mon, 30 May 2011 02:36:26 -0700
Subject: In Good Faith

Attn,
I am William McGill, The Computing Account Auditor of the United Overseas Bank
England. On the Month of January 2010 last year, My Bank committee on
Inheritance settlements approved and disbursed over 100,000,000.00 Pounds
Drafts to foreign Heirs of Late depositors’ funds in my Bank all over United
Kingdom. Payment to beneficiaries were successful paid legitimately from last
year to this present day of year 2011.This shows that beneficiaries whose
relations died and left over monies in their accounts with the United Overseas Bank
London has been paid successfully.

But there is still a single remaining unclaimed Payment Draft File worth
8,500,000.00 Million Pounds sterling outstanding in my bank office
Beneficiaries files which were never claimed by anyone. I have checked all
files and investigated this payment but I found out there is no person to
claim this remaining Draft worth 8,500,000.00 million pounds.

All our investigation to get to the relations of this unclaimed payment has not been
fruitful and if this money is not claimed before the end of December 2011, my Bank
will revert the money to the United Kingdom Government Revenue Account and
then we will lose this opportunity.

I am contacting you to cooperate with me as a foreigner to make claims for this money so I can
replace your name as the beneficary of the funds and file your name as the beneficary
of the 8,500,000 Million pounds.My Bank will release this payment to you as soon as I provide them
with your information.

We will share this money 50/50 each after the funds have been transfered into
your bank account safely. This transaction is very safe and 100% risk free. Do
not disclose this proposal to anyone.Get back to me immediately for more details.

Best Regards,
William McGill,
Bank auditor
United Overseas Bank of London
England.

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