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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: mark nelson <marknelson383@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 31 Oct 2013 22:01:34 +0000
Subject: GET BACK TO ME URGENTLY.

Dear Friend,

How are you and your family? Guess it is well with you.
I am Mr. Nelson Mark, I work as the Foreign Operations Manager of our bank
here in Ghana, West Africa. Although the world is a very small place and
hard place to meet people with complete confidence, but as I have
developed the trust on you, after a week fasting and praying i made up my
mind to contact you for this confidential business transaction with hope
that you will not disclose the secret of this great opportunity to another
person.

There is an unclaimed sum of Ten Million Five Hundred Thousand United
States Dollars (US$10.5M) in my bank, and when went through the records, I
discovered that this fund belong to one of our foreign customer who died
years ago, and no beneficiaries or claimants were stated concerning to
claim this funds. Therefore, your request as a foreigner is necessary to
apply for the claim so that our bank will release the fund smoothly into
your reliable bank account as the beneficiary/Foreign Business Partner to
the deceased.

This fund was meant for a short term investment in my country
unfortunately the beneficiary died untimely. So, if you accept to assist
me, I will place your name as the person who has the right to claim the
fund which will enable our bank issue you fund investment document to
avoid your government or anybody to question the source of the fund during
the process of the transfer.

Hence you will be interested to assist me get this fund transferred in
your account, I will reward you with 45% of the total sum while 55% will
be for me. If you are sure of your trust, integrity for safe-keeping this
fund in your account, contact me with your full detailed information
including your private telephone number(mobile) for me to guide you on the
best legal way to tender an application to claim this fund successfully
from our bank. Again My coming to your country once the money transferred
, Me and you will exchange our photos, For you to know me in your country
Airport, I am waiting for your urgent response.

Yours faithfully.
Mr. Nelson Mark.

Anti-fraud resources: