joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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. Ben Smith" <vip@asianust.ac.th>
Reply-To: bensmith345@ymail.com
Date: Sat, 07 Jul 2012 15:47:02 +0700
Subject: Important Message (Read and Reply)


Dear Sir/Madam,

It is understandable that you might be apprehensive because you do not
know me but I have a lucrative business proposal of mutual interest to
share with you. Permit me to introduce myself, I am Mr.Ben Smith,
Foreign Operations Manager of the Bank of China (Hong kong), Eastern
Commercial Centre, Wan Chai Branch. Only recently I discovered that an
account belonging to Jalil Matar, who was with the Politician and also
a businessman, he made a numbered fixed deposit for 12 calendar
months, with a value of Seventeen Million Three Hundred Thousand
United State Dollars (US$17,300,000.00) only into an account with my
branch,Upon maturity several notice was sent to him, but there was no
response.

Again, december last year, another notification was sent and still no
response came from him. We later find out that Jalil Matar and his
family had been killed during the war in gun fire at southeast of
Ramadi where his personal oil well was.

http://www.iraqbodycount.org/database/individuals/page55

After further enquiries, it was discovered that Jalil Matar did not
declare any next of kin in his official papers, including the paper
work of his bank deposit. The last time he came to my office in March
2008, he confided in me that no one knew of this deposit in my bank.
What bothers me most is that according to the laws here, at the
expiration of six{6} years,the funds will be revert to the ownership
of the Hong Kong Government, if nobody applies to claim it. Against
this backdrop, my suggestion to you is that I will like to front you
as a foreigner to stand as the next of kin to Jalil Matar, so that you
will be able to receive his funds.

MODALITIES:

I want you to know that all modalities for the successful of this
transfer to you have been mapped out and success is 100% sure. I have
an attorney that will prepare the necessary documents that will back
you up as the next of kin to Jalil Matar, all that is required from
you is to provide me with your Full Names and Address, so that the
attorney can commence his job.

After you have been made the next of kin, the attorney will file for
claims on your behalf and also secure the necessary approval and
letter of probate in your favor for the movement of the funds to an
account that will be provided by you. We are going to adopt a
legalized method because the attorney will prepare all necessary
documents in your favour.

There is a reward for this project and it is a task well worth
undertaking. There is no risk involved at all in our planned
modalities, I have evaluated the risks and the only risk I have her is
your refusing to work with me and alerting my bank. I am the only one
who knows of this situation, good fortune has blessed you with a name
that has planted you into the center of relevance in my life.

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 share in the ratio of 50% for me, 50% for you.
I send you this mail not without a measure of fear as to what the
consequences, but I know within me that nothing ventured is nothing
gained and that success and riches never come easy or on a platter of
gold..
Please observe this instructions religiously.

Should you be interested please send me your:

1. Full names
2. address:
3. Telephone and fax numbers:
4. sex
5. Age
6. Occupation
7. country:

And finally after that I shall furnish you with more information about
this operation.
Your earliest response to this letter will be appreciated.

Kind Regards
Ben Smith
Email:bensmith345@ymail.com

----------------------------------------------------------------
This message was sent using IMP, the Internet Messaging Program.

Anti-fraud resources: