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joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
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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:
- This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "here in united kingdom" (this email uses bad English)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Mr Victor Rolex <barrolamartins121@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: Mr Victor Rolex <rolexmrvictor@yahoo.com.ph>
Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:08:28 -0800 (PST)
Subject: RE: FINAL NOTICE -Information About Your Family Tree
RE: FINAL NOTICE -Information About Your Family Tree.
This is My second but final attempt to reach you in view of this subject matter and I am not sure you received my previous letter.
My name is Mr Victor Rolex ,Formerly Working with SNS Bank Netherlands Branch, presently I am working with HSBC Bank LONDON Plc here in United Kingdom. I have a PROPOSAL to discuss with you about a certain bonded account in our Bank. The bonded Account has a balance of USD17.3Million.
It will be beneficial to all parties concerned I am contacting you on this due to you share the same Family name with the Bonded Account. And He died on Auto Crash with his family.
When someone dies without leaving a will and there's no known relative to inherit, the government receives the money. Unless, a previously unknown distant relative; a descendant from the same ancestor is found within a limited time frame at the discretion of the treasury department to claim the inheritance as laid out in section 46 of the Administration of Estates Act of 1925 (with
As stated in my previous letter, am legally empowered to track and reunite unclaimed funds with distant relatives of people who have died without making a will or known next of kin and after an extensive genealogical research effort, I have traced a dormant termed deposit bank account with your family name and the account has a balance of USD 17.3Million. Tagged "unclaimed funds" which you are legally entitled to. The bank is compelled by the laws to hand over the funds (as unclaimed funds) to the government if no claim is made immediately.
I am waiting to hear from you soon.
Yours faithfully
Victor Rolex.
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Anti-fraud resources:
