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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: "Stephen Jones Esq" <no-reply@stephs.org>
Reply-To: stephenjones@yahoo.cn
Date: Sat, 23 Jun 2012 14:48:35 -0400
Subject: Good Day,




Good Day,
Firstly, I must solicit your confidence in this transaction; this is by
virtue of its nature as being utterly confidential and top secret. Though
I know that a transaction of this magnitude will make any one apprehensive
and worried, but I am assuring you that I am contacting you in good faith
and this proposal will be of mutual benefit and all will be well at the
end of the day.

Let me start by first introducing myself properly to you. It may surprise
you receiving this letter from me, since there was no previous
correspondence between us. I am Stephen Jones Esq, a solicitor at law. I
am the personal attorney/sole executor to the late Mr. Mark hereinafter
referred to as my client who worked as an independent oil magnate in my
country, who died in a car crash with his immediate family in East London
on the 5th of November 2001. It is important to note that my last client
shares the same last name with you. Actually, I got your contact
information from international who’s who while searching for a last name
similar to my late client. My late client a formal Sub-Comptroller working
with Chevron Texaco Oil here in the United Kingdom and had Left behind a
deposit of Nine Million Eight Hundred Thousand British Pounds Sterling
only (£9.8Million) with a bank. After the death of my client, the finance
company contacted me, as his attorney to provide his Next of kin who
should inherit his fortune this according to them is their policy in sure
circumstances.

Since the death of my client, I have written several letters to the
embassy with intent to locate any of his extended relatives whom shall be
claimants/beneficiaries of his abandoned personal estate and all such
efforts have been to no avail. I had to inform the finance company about
my fruitless effort in locating my late client close relative or His next
of kin. The board of directors of the company just adopted a resolution
and I was mandated to provide his next of kin for the payment of this
money within the next 15 official working days or forfeit the money as an
abandoned funds. The company had planned to invoke the abandoned property
decree of the company to confiscate the funds after the expiration of the
period given me. Also I have received official letters in the last two
days suggesting a likely proceeding for confiscation of his abandoned
personal assets in line with existing laws of the institution

My purpose of contacting you is for you to help secure the funds left
behind by my late client, to avoid it being confiscated or declared
unserviceable by the bank where this fund valued at Nine Million Eight
Hundred Thousand British Pounds Sterling only (£9.8Million). Can I trust
you on this? I shall assemble all the necessary documents that will be
used to back up your claim. I guarantee that this will be executed under a
legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of law. I
will not fail to bring to your notice that this proposal is hitch-free and
that you should not entertain any fears as the required arrangements have
been made for the completion of this transfer.

Like I said, I require only a solemn confidentiality on this. Please get
in touch with me by my alternative email: stephenjones@yahoo.cn for better
confidentiality and send to me your
telephone and fax numbers to enable us discuss further on this
transaction. If this proposal is acceptable by you, do not take undue
advantage of the trust I have bestowed in you, thanks for your
understanding.

Sincerely yours,
Stephen Jones Esq.

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