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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: DAVID BERSSON <davidbersson02@verizon.net>
Reply-To: mrdavid.c@hotmail.com
Date: Sun, 21 Aug 2011 02:26:16 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: URGENT NEEDED,


Dear Friend,

 

I am Mr. David Bersson the Head
of Accounting Audit Department of Nat West Bank Harlsden, North West London,
here in England. I am writing you about a business proposal that will be of an
immense mutual benefit to both of us. In my department, I discovered a sum of 15
Million (Fifteen Million Pounds Sterling) in an account that belongs to one of
our foreign deceased customers, a billionaire Business Mogul Late Mr. Moises
Saba Masri, a Jew from Mexico who was a victim of a helicopter crash early this
year, resulting to his death and his family members. Saba was 47-years-old. Also
in the chopper at the time of the crash was his wife, their son Abraham (Albert)
and his daughter-in-law. The pilot was also dead.

 

The choice of contacting you is
aroused from the geographical nature of where you live, particularly due to the
sensitivity of the transaction and the confidentiality herein. Now our bank has
been waiting for any of the relatives to come-up for the claim but nobody has
done that. I personally have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives, I seek
your consent to present you as the next of kin/Will Beneficiary to the deceased
so that the proceeds of this account valued at 15 Million Pounds can be paid to
you.

 

This will be disbursed or shared
in these percentages, 60% to me and 40% to you. I have secured all necessary
legal documents that can be used to back up this claim we are making. All i need
is to fill in your names to the documents and legalize them in the court here to
prove you as the legitimate beneficiary. All I require now is your honest
Co-operation, Confidentiality and Trust to enable us see this transaction
through. I guarantee you that this will be executed under a legitimate
arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.

 

Please, provide me the following
information, as we have 7 days to run it through. This is very URGENT PLEASE.

 

1. Full Name:

2. Your: Telephone Number:

3. Your Contact Address.

4. Age:

5.Core Job/ Occupation:

 

Having gone through a methodical
search, I decided to contact you hoping that you will find this proposal
interesting. Please on your confirmation of this message and indicating your
interest, i will furnish you with more information.

 

Endeavor to let me know your
decision rather than keep me waiting.

 

Best regards,

Mr. David
Bersson

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