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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: Kate Harold <ciclopi2@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <mrskateharold2@rocketmail.com>
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2013 10:46:14 +0000
Subject: My Company Abroad.


From: MRS. KATE HAROLD
Private Email: mrskateharold2@rocketmail.com
Date: 16th October 2013

Attn:

I apologize if the contents here under are contrary to your moral ethics, but please treat it with absolute secrecy and personal courtesy. I am KATE HAROLD I used to live in London. I have a business proposal I wish to bring to your notice.

I used to own a company in London United Kingdom, while I was running my company in London I was been given a heavy tax to pay as a foreigner, so on the advice of a friend I started evading tax payment, which the United Kingdom government eventually found out and the company was shut down and I was eventually repatriated to my home country and declared’ PERSONAL NON GRANTA'' by the United Kingdom government, meaning I cannot enter The United Kingdom anymore.

All my accounts was frozen, but I had a fixed deposit secretly valued $2,500,000 ( Two Million Five hundred thousand united states dollars only. ) in one of the commercial banks in London, with the help of my account officer and the manager of the bank, the United Kingdom government did not freeze that account as I did not declare it to the United Kingdom government.

I have discussed with my account officer and the manager on how to repatriate the funds since I have lost all I have and this fund has been in the bank for over two years now without the knowledge of anybody except my account officer and the manager of the bank.
They have advised that the only way the fund can be paid is if I can get somebody with a name different from my name to stand as the owner of the fund, what they will do is to sneak out the signature card and exchange it with anybody I will present as the owner of the fund, and the fund will be paid to the person legitimately.

I have decided to contact you, as I cannot claim the fund myself in other for you to stand claim as the owner of the fund in question, since my account officer and bank manager are willing to cooperate with me.
I want to assure you that this transaction is 100% risk free and as it will be handled in a legitimate manner.
If you are willing co operate with me in this transaction I shall give you 30% to the total funds involved.

If you are interested in this proposal kindly reach me with my confidential e-mail: mrskateharold2@rocketmail.com

MRS. KATE HAROLD.

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