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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: "C. Gates & Co (Solicitors)" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <collinsgates444@yahoo.es>
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2013 04:20:07 -0700
Subject: From: C. Gates & Co (Solicitors) *

C. Gates & Co (Solicitors)
42 New Broad Streets
London EC2M 1JD
United Kingdom

Dear Sir/Madam.

Before I proceed, I must first apologize for this unsolicited letter to you, I am aware that this is certainly not a conventional way of approach to establish a relationship of trust, but you will realize the need for my action. My name is Mr. Collins Gates of the C. Gates & Co. (Solicitors) Actually, I got your contact information from your Country data directory while searching for a foreigner to pose as next of kin to my late client, an Expatriate engineer for thirteen years; he died along with his Family during the Spaniard JK5022 Plane crash on 20th August in Madrid. Before his death, he deposited the sum of $10.5m (Ten million, Five hundred thousand
United States dollars only) with a bank in London. The bank has mandated me to present any family heir/inheritor for claim before the fund gets confiscated as an unclaimed fund.

So I decided to search for any of my late client’s relative which has been very difficult for me, as he did not declare any other person, address, partner or relatives on the official paper works of her deposit. Against this backdrop, my suggestion to you is that I will like you as a foreigner to stand as the next of kin to my Client, so that the money will be released to you. With my position as his lawyer, I will now present your name as the next of kin to my late client. I will prepare every relevant document that will assist your claims, and facilitate the release of the fund. Note that this transaction is 100% risk free; there is no atom of risk in connection to this
business as i have worked out all modalities to complete the transaction successfully. Once the money is released to you, we shall share in the ratio 45% for me, 45% for you as your benefit then we will map out 10% to upset any expenses made on the process of this transaction. Reply via my private email: collinsgates444@yahoo.es, Tel: +447924541254 Please be kind to get back to me even if you are not interested so that I
can further my search for another person.

Best Regards,

Mr. Collins Gates

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