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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: DR. JOHNSON THABO <johnsonthabo81@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 26 Aug 2011 09:44:35 -0500
Subject: Business Proposal

FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF SOUTH AFRICA
FROM: DR. JOHNSON THABO
E-mail: johnsonthabo81@yahoo.com

Dear: Sir/Madam,

Do accept my sincere apologies if my Letter does not meet your personal ethics. My name is Dr. Johnson Thabo, a citizen of the Republic of South Africa; I am the accountant staff in the accounts management section of the above firm (FNB) here in South Africa.

This is the detail of what I want you to assist me in doing, One of our accounts with holding balance of US$18,000.000.00 (Eighteen Million United States Dollars only) has been dormant and has not been operated for the past years now. From my investigations and confirmations, the owner of this account, a foreigner by name (Mr. Kurt Kahle, died in July, 2000, For more Information see BBC News on:-http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm

And since then nobody has done anything as regards to the claiming of this money because he has no family members who are aware of the existence of the fund here in the bank. I have secretly discussed this matter with a senior official of this bank and we have agreed to find a reliable foreign partner to deal with. We thus propose to do business with you, standing in as the next of kin of these funds from the deceased and funds released to you after due processes have been followed. Be noted that you will be entitled for 25% of the total sum as gratification, while 5% will be set aside to take care of any expenses that may arise during the time of transfer while 70% will be for me and my partner.

Please you have been advised to keep top secret and noted that this transaction is totally free of risk and troubles as the fund is legitimate and does not originate from drug, money laundry, terrorism or any other illegal act. On receipt of your response I will furnish you with detailed clarification as it relates to this mutual benefit transaction, I look forward to hearing from you as soon as possible if you are interested and with your trust. And also furnish me with the following information’s.

For us to proceed, you have to urgently send to me the following information’s because this are the information we need to obtain all legal documents to establish you as the next of kin and legal beneficiary of the funds, To get the required approval for the release and transfer of the fund to your bank account.

YOU’R FULL NAMES
YOU’R TEL/FAX NUMBERS
YOU’R AGE
YOU’R OCCUPATION
YOU’R PHYSICAL ADDRESS
YOU’R BANK ACCOUNT DETAILS, where you will want the funds to be transferred into

I look forward for your urgent response

Thank you,


DR. JOHNSON THABO
johnsonthabo81@yahoo.com


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