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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: "Ilic Bojan" (may be fake)
Date: Sat, 14 Sep 2013 09:09:33 -0700
Subject: PLEASE READ AND REPLY...

Good day,
I know this preposition might come to you as a surprise as we have never met or had any previous transaction prior to this Letter. Nevertheless, I have contacted you in good faith and with genuine intention, believing your assistance will help me pull through in this transaction which of course will be of mutual benefit.
I am Ilic Bojan, an attorney at Law and based in the United Kingdom. I am writing you in respect to a late client of mine who was a National of your Country. My late Client, his wife and two (2) children lost their lives in the Air France Flight 447 crash that took place on June 1st, 2009 and left behind a large deposit totalling Seventeen Million, Four Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (US$17,400,000) in a bank.
As his Personal Attorney/Sole Executor, his bank had since last year contacted me to present to them my late Client’s Next of Kin or any of his extended relatives.
The Bank issued one year deadline to come forward for these funds or they will it confiscated and my search for any of my late Client’s relative has proved abortive. Hence, I have contacted you to seek your consent to present you to the Bank as the next of kin of the deceased since you are of the same National and share the same last name too
I would like for you to understand that I know exactly what this transaction entails and I will always to be to guide you all through.
Your urgent response with your data will be appreciated.
NOTE: You could look up for details of the crash via this link: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/07/05/world/europe/france-air-crash-report

Best regards
Ilic Bojan

Anti-fraud resources: