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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: "MR. JAMES AHMED." <mr.jamesahmed@ymail.com>
Reply-To: james.ahmed26@ymail.com
Date: Fri, 17 Feb 2012 20:57:12 -0000
Subject: URGENT RESPONSE TO THIS MAIL

I want to say that I'm disappointed in you for such low thinking of yours
because we all knew that the funds are legally approved in your favors,
but that is not enough reason for you to change the beneficiary ownership
without informing us the Bank in charge of your transfer. We just received
your new account which you sent to us. The problem in this account is that
it does not bear your name as beneficiary but a man who claim to be your
elder brother MR. JAMES D. BROWN. His surname and address is quite
different from yours. We have been informed that you are unable to take
care of the service charge and your brother told us that you have
instructed him to pay the service charge and receive your money for you.

However, we have successfully completed verifications on your fund and
confirm it legitimate to release the sum of (US $2.851,324,23 million)
being payment to your new nominated Bank account states thus:

Bank name: Bank of America
A/C name: James David Brown
A/C number: 045 0922

I had called the Head Directors of Operations in Africa here but he also
denied knowing this man as your next of kin. We are biased but just want
to confirm before we make the transfer to him. Do you still need your
whole fund transferred to your old account as stated before or do we
continue with this new account of this man BROWN as your next of kin? Let
me know by email immediately or call me before it is late today. We shall
work on the change of ownership of the whole funds to this man once we
hear from you.

Note; that transmittal sheet can be send to you once the transfer is
completed here (if you need it) to help you confirm your funds with
your brother's Bank. Please, do not bother about the fee, your brother is
ready to take care of everything to receive this fund in his name as
beneficiary since you told him that you are no more interested.

We have not received the fee from him yet, but will advise him to send it
after the beneficiary ownership approval papers of the fund changes to his
name.

Thank you.
Sincerely Yours In Service,

Mr. Innocent George.



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