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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: "Paynter John" <paynterj@tvfhusa.com>
Reply-To: paynterj@rsby1.com
Date: Tue, 05 Jul 2011 19:00:53 +0200
Subject: 2011-5-7



--
Hello Friend,

I am pleased to get across to you for a very urgent business proposal. I am Mr. Paynter John, Audit Standard Chartered Bank London.

I am writing this letter to ask for your support and co-operation to carry out this business opportunity in my department, in Jan. 2008, an America Oil consultant/contractor with Petroleum Corporation UK, Mr. Anthony Avery, made a numbered time (fixed) deposit for twelve calendar months, Valued at US$4,600,000.00 in my branch.

Upon maturity I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but got no reply. After a month, we sent a reminder and finally we discovered from his contract employers, the Petroleum Corporation that Mr. Anthony Avery, has passed on.

Most astonishing of my discovery is that, all records bear no next of kin, meaning no member of Mr. Anthony Avery, family knows about the deposit therefore, no member of his family will ever come forward to claim the money, In order for the bank not to transfer the said sum as unclaimed funds to the United Kingdom treasury account, the above stated funds must be claimed immediately by somebody standing in as late Mr. Anthony Avery as Next of Kin, because According to (UNITED KINGDOM LAW), at the expiration of 4 (Four) years; the money will revert to the ownership of the (UNITED KINGDOM) Government if nobody apply to claim the fund.
This revelation is only known to me because I was his personal account Officer before I was promoted to become the Audit Director, now I seek your collaboration to act as next of kin to late Mr. Anthony Avery, to claim the funds and move them into useful investments.

We shall split the cash between our self upon the confirmation of the money into your account, I am ready to offer you 35% of the total fund and 50% for me while 15% will be set aside for charities.
Please note that by the virtue of my position in the bank, I have worked Out the perfect modality as well as I shall provide the relevant information for the successful claim and transfer of the funds in the account that will be provided by you.

I cannot stand in the forefront of this transaction because I work with the bank, that is why I have come to you, for assistance be rest assured that this project involve no risk to you.

I look forward to your urgent reply.
Best Regards
John Paynter

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