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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: Henry Smith <hsbanker@barclays.biz>
Reply-To: hsmithbanker@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2013 22:50:12 +0000
Subject: Re: Family



My name is Mr. Henry Smith. I am a South African banker working for
Barclays bank in London. I want you to know that this transaction is
very much genuine and real. You have nothing to worry about for I have
put all necessary modalities that will ensure the success of this
transaction. I have even arranged for the service of a professional
attorney who will make sure this transaction is legally carried out
putting you as the legal beneficiary / next of kin to my uncovered
funds. All you need to do is to follow my directives so that this
transaction can be completed soonest.
I would want you to understand that during my bank's end of year audit
of 2012, 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. In the course of my
responsibility, I discovered 18.72M pounds sterling (Eighteen Million,
Seven Hundred and Twenty Thousand Pounds Sterling) left unclaimed by a
deceased customer since September, 2010. Every exploration I made
showed that there is no registered beneficiary to these funds. This is
why I contacted you because it would have been my pleasure to have
this money to myself only, but the system won't allow it, that is why
I have to search for someone more competent from outside UK to execute
this transaction with me without putting my job and reputation on the
line.
I want to be sure you are ready and proficient to see this transaction
with me to achievement. What we both need to achieve this transaction
is trust and commitment; I believe with your assistance, we will be
able to transfer this large sum conveniently without exercising any
fear. And also regarding the legality, I want to put it to you that in
achieving this transaction, you should know that what affects you
implies to me too. But it will be necessary and appreciative for you
to give attention to my directives politely as everything shall be
done in accordance with the laws of the international banking and
guidance policies. What you should put in mind, as a banker it is my
responsibility to make sure everything goes well without worries at
all. That is, if you follow up this transaction diligently, it would
be completed within a short period of time.
You should not have anything to worry about, my attorney shall be
handling all matters of probate on your behalf, he will have all the
documents perfected, and with these documents he shall come forward to
my bank to apply for the immediate release and transfer of the funds
to the account you will furnish us with in the future.
If you really intend to execute this transaction with me, get back to
me as soon as possible.
Regards,
Smith, H.

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