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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: "Mr. George Duncan" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <georgeduncan94@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 2011 01:32:36 +0100
Subject: Re:Hi

Greetings,
I am George Duncan the Director of Operations CITIBANK 84 kings Cross Road, London, W1S. I have an urgent and very confidential business proposition for you. On December 18th, 2000, an Iraqi Foreign Oil consultant/contractor with the BRITISH PETROLUEM CORPORATION Mr. Abdul-Nasir Omar.
Made a numbered time (Fixed deposit) for 36 calendar months, valued at US$33,600,000.00 (Thirty Three Million Six hundred Thousand Dollars only) in my branch. Upon maturity in 2003, 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, He British Petroleum Corporation that Mr. Abdul-Nasir Omar died as a result of torture in the hand of Sad am Hussein during one of his trips to his country Iraq.
On further investigation, I found out that he died without making a WILL and all attempts to trace his next of kin were fruitless. I therefore made further investigation and discovered that Mr. Abdul-Nasir Omar did not declare any next of kin or relation in all his official documents, include in his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank.
This sum of US$33,600,000.00 have been floating as unclaimed since 2003, in my bank as all efforts to get his relatives have hit the stones. According to the British law at the expiration of 8 (eight) years, the money will revert to the ownership of the British Government if nobody applies to claim the fund and the eight years is the end of December 2011. Consequently, my proposal is that I want to seek your consent as a foreigner to stand in as the owner of the money as the next of kin to the deceased so that the bank will transfer the money to your designated account.
All documents and proves to enable you get this fund will be carefully worked out.
I have secured from the probate an order of mandamus to locate any of the deceased beneficiaries, and more so I am assuring you that the business is risk free involvement. Your Share stays while the rest be for me and for investment purpose as I will leave London by the end of the year.
The sharing of the funds will be based According to agreement between {both of us} that is, me and you. As soon as I receive an acknowledgement of receipt of this message in acceptances of our mutual business proposal,
I will furnish you with the necessary modalities and disbursement ratio to suit both parties without any conflict. If this proposal is acceptable by you, do not take undue advantage of the trust I have bestowed in you.
PLEASE, APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT DOING BUSINESS OVER THE INTERNET IS RISK.ENDEAVOR TO SEND YOUR CONFIDENTIAL TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBER IN YOUR REPLY TO THIS BUSINESS.
REPLY ON THIS EMAIL: georgeduncan94@yahoo.com.hk
God Bless you.
Mr. George Duncan

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