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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: "Miss Sharon Watson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <private.sharonwatsonuk@zing.vn>
Date: Thu, 10 Oct 2013 03:58:30 -0800
Subject: PLEASE GET BACK TO ME ASAP

Hello Sir.
 
I am very sorry if the content of this mail does not suite ethics while hoping that you will give it an urgent attention if you are interested.
 
I am Miss Sharon Watson, working NatWest bank Plc London. I am personally contacting you base on the matter on ground. I am an account officer to one our customers, Mr. Mark who bears the same last name with you. He is a national of your Country who used to work with Oil Company in London.
 
On the 2nd of August 2003, Mr. Mark and his wife with their three children were involved in a car accident along Manchester Express Road. All occupants of the vehicle unfortunately lost their lives.
 
Since then I have made several inquiries to your Embassy to locate any of my client's extended relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful.
 
After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his relatives over the internet to locate any member of his family but of no avail, hence I contacted you.
 
I am contacting you to assist in repatriating the money left behind by our late customer before it got confiscated or declared unserviceable by our bank where these huge deposits were lodged.
 
Particularly, he maintains the deposit valued at 15 million pounds with our bank. The board of directors has issued me the LAST notice as the deceased's account officer to provide the next-of-kin or have the account confiscated within the next one month. Also it will interest you to know the deposited fund has attracted an interest of 1 million pounds make the   total amount of 16,000,000 (Sixteen Million Great British Pounds Sterling).
 
Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over nine (9) months now, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin to the deceased since you have the same last name with him. so that the proceeds of this account valued at 16 million pounds will be paid to you as the Next of  Kin/extended relative.
 
I will personally be happy if you can respond to this immediately so that you can receive these fund from the bank in this second quarter payment of the Year.
 
I have some of the important documents that can be used to back up the claim like deposit certificate which Mr. Mark kept with me as his account officer.
All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this transaction through.
 
I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. I will get you a better attorney who will handle the legal aspect of the transaction.
 
Please get in touch with me immediately you acknowledge the good receipt of this message. Do not forget to send me your direct telephone number, so that I can call you for an extensive discussion on this deal.
 
Anticipating your prompt response.
 
Yours Sincerely,
Miss Sharon Watson.
Working with NatWest Bank Plc.

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