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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: john smith <mr.johnsmith116@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 11 Dec 2011 09:54:14 -0800
Subject: ATTENTION:FROM BRITISH


British Fund Monitory Unit
British Inland Revenue Commission
286 Euston Road , London NW1 3UH

ATTENTION:FROM BRITISH.

I am Mr. John Smith, from South Carolina , but I live and work here in UK
with British fund monitoring unit London United Kingdom as international
financial consultant with. I'm 49yrs old; I got your email address on the
web/International business directories. On the course of my duty, I have
privately discovered a dormant account in the name of late Mr. Raymond
Beck. He is from Atlanta Georgia United State of America , but resided here
in London , England as a consultant engineer. Mr. Raymond Beck was a client
with huge deposit account since August 2003. Late Mr. Raymond died through
cancer, leaving nobody to inherit his assets.

The Board of Directors and The Management of British fund monitoring unit
has official advice and mandated me to look for Mr. Raymond Beck relatives
and his next of Kin to come and claim Mr. Raymond Beck's Fund deposit,
considering my American citizenship. I have made several efforts to link
with his next of kin without success for official claim of his deposit. I
have made several inquiries/contacted at the America Embassy and all my
effort was unsuccessful due to some wrong applications and bad
documentation caused by misappropriation.

In view of this unsuccessful trace of Mr. Raymond’s next of kin, some of
the Directors and top executive of the bank want to convert the fund
deposit Account of Mr. Raymond worth US$9.8m into the bank treasury as
unclaimed fund. In view of this, I will want you to stand as the
Relation/next of kin to Late Mr. Raymond Beck, so that the fund will be
Documented, Processed and Transferred into your bank account as the legal
beneficiary and next of kin, as an insider and financial consultant with
the bank, I will front you as the legal beneficiary, I will directly use my
position and office to perfect and coordinate the transaction in a
legitimate manner. As a matter of fact, this transaction is very
transparent, easy and simple, and it is 100% risk free provided I am
directly involved.

Finally, the entire management of the bank considering my American linage
with Mr. Raymond beck is surly depending on me to provide the next of kin,
if you are interested with this transaction, I will present you to the bank
as the only next of kin to late Mr. Raymond Beck, with the official and
credible documents certifying you as the appointed next of kind and legal
beneficiary and the transaction will be conclude within few banking days
without delay or hindrances and you confirm the fund into your nominated
bank account.

Just email me on (mr.john_smith112@yahoo.co.uk) once you receive this
letter to stop me from further looking for alternative elsewhere. I'm
putting my confidence on you. Feel free to ask any questions. I am in a
better position to furnish you with reliable answers. You will be entitled
of 50% of the total sum (US$9.8 Million) which is (US$4.900, 000.00) Four
Million nine Hundred Thousand Dollars, while the Balance of the same amount
will be mine.

I will be waiting for your immediate response.

Thanks

Mr. John Smith.

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