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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: "Steve Francis" <steve.franc91@yahoo.com.hk>
Reply-To: steve.cmpl@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 29 May 2012 15:28:01 +0900
Subject: Hello My Dear

Hello My Dear,

I am pleased to introduce myself to you as Barr. Steve Francis, an attorney
with Pognon law chambers here in Benin Republic, also a personal attorney to
Late Mr. Richard Anton, Former Director of Société Nationale de
Commercialization des Produits Pétroliers (SONACOP) Oil Company in Benin
Republic in West Africa .

It is evident that you will be surprise, receiving this letter from me since
there has been no previous correspondence between us, nevertheless I am
pleased to contact you with regard to my late client, Who on the 24th of
November 2010, died of a cancerous ailment.

As a matter of fact, on the 5th day of November 2008, I helped my late client
in making a 4 year fixed deposit agreement of the total sum of US
$7,300,000.00(Seven Million, Three Hundred Thousand United States Dollars),
with a Bank here in Benin Republic. I, was his legal advising counselor on
the deposited fund and other of his properties, for which I was issued with a
Power of Attorney duly endorsed at the High Court of Justice when the fund
deposit was made.

Consequently, being the personal attorney to my late client, the bank has
issued me a notice to provide a Foreign Business Associate to my late client
for the claim and clearing of the fund from their custody or they will freeze
his account and have this fund confiscated/transferred government treasury,
since the owner(my client) is dead and to this effect, I have made several
attempts and contacts to locate any of my clients extended relatives, without
success.

My Proposal now, is to nominate you as the Next of Kin / Business Partner to
my late client for the claim and transfer of the fund into your bank account
through my arrangement and directives which will be very legal and secured.

I will guide you accordingly in following up all the required process in a
very professional manner and confidentiality whereby we will obtain the legal
documents required in backing up the claim, to see to the successful release
and transfer of the fund to you promptly without any breach of law.

Accordingly, I will need your full co-operation and assistance in working
together towards the successful closing of this transaction on a mutual
benefit, while I propose to offer you 40% of the total fund for your
assistance and collaboration, while I will take 50% of the fund, then the
remaining 10% we will use to cover the expenses which we will incure during
the process of claiming the fund from the Bank.

I will want you to please go through this message carefully, to make your
decision before contacting me for further detail and direction on how you
will contact the Bank for the claim.

You can reach me with your detail through my following contact details: E-
mail: steve.cmpl@gmail.com or call me on my direct line: 002 299 644 4802.

1.your name..................
2.your phone.................
3.age........................
4.sex........................
5.profession.................
6.address....................

Thank you, as I wait for your response.

Barr. Steve Francis.
Pognon law chambers
Republique du Bénin.

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