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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: "Norman Chan" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <normannchan@w.cn>
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2012 13:32:12 +0530
Subject: Formal Proposal from Mr Norman

Good Day

I am Mr. Norman Chan, Tak-lam, S.B.S., J.P, and Chief Executive of Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA). I have a concealed business suggestion for you.

During my bank's end of year audit of 2010, there was a board decision that all unclaimed funds concerning Inheritance should be declared bad claims to enable the bank relocate itself against accumulated debts (meaning collecting other people’s money in the course of securing themselves). In the course of my responsibility, I discovered $67.5M USD (Sixty-Seven Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) in an account belonging to one of our foreign customers Late Mr. Roger Ian Wright, left unclaimed since September, 2005. Mr. Wright was a founding partner at Sao Paulo financial consulting firm Arsenal Investments, died along with his wife, son and daughter and their spouses, two grandsons and one granddaughter in a plane crash in Brazil on the 22nd day of May, 2009.

You can get more information as regards to the crash and the death of our late customer Mr. Roger Ian Wright on this website address: http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/15287531. Every exploration I made showed that there is no registered beneficiary to these funds. All I need now is someone, who can associate with me to claim this money because if we don’t my bank or the government will do so and when this happen it will be one sided because they are going to use it for their own selfish interests but if we claim this amount it will help our families and the world around us.

I want you to know that I have had everything planned out so that we shall come out successful. There is no risk involved at all in this matter, as we are going to adopt a legalized method and the attorney will prepare all the necessary documents. Please endeavor to observe utmost discretion in all matters concerning this issue. Once the funds have been transferred to your nominated bank account we shall then share in the ratio of 50% for me, 50% for you.

Please endeavor to observe utmost discretion in all matters concerning this issue and also I wish to inform you that should you contact me via official channels; I will deny knowing you and about this project. I repeat, I do not want you contacting me through my phone lines nor do I want you contacting me through my official e-mail account. Contact me only through this e-mail address: normannchan@w.cn and also if there be a need for me to call I will do the callings. I do not want any direct link between you and me for now. My official lines are not secure lines as they are periodically monitored to assess our level of customer care in line with our Total Quality Management Policy. Please observe this instruction religiously, after which I shall provide you with more details on this operation.

Your earliest response to this letter will be appreciated.

Kind Regards,
Mr. Norman Chan.

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