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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr,Herbert Smith" <scottsamantha2000@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: vicolo017@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 01 Dec 2013 04:52:23 -0600
Subject: our mutual benefit



Dear Sir/Madam

I wish to inform you that this letter is not a hoax and I urge you to
treat it with the seriousness it deserves. This letter must come to
you as a big surprise, but I believe it is only a day that people meet
and become great friends and business partners. This is a personal and
private mail directed to you and I request that it should be treated
as such. My name is Barrister Herbert Smith.I was the personal
attorney /sole executor to late Mr.Andreas Schranner (of the blessed
memory), A German hereafter referred to as 'My late Client'. He was an
independent oil and property magnate here in Europe; he made a Five
years investment deposit of $55,000,000 [FIFTY FIVE Million United
States Dollars] to a well known Bank through me and eventually died in
a plane crash on the July 25. 2000 together with his immediate family
who are the next of kin to his investments? Since the death of my
client in the air France Concorde New York bound flight I have written
several letters to his Embassy with intent to locate any of his
extended relatives whom shall be claimant / beneficiary of his
abandoned monetary deposit and all such efforts have been to no
avail;please Click Below and find out what happened to the family :
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm


In accordance with the EU Trust and Federal Laws, at the expiration of
6(six) years, the investments with the Financial Trust shall revert to
ownership of the Government, if nobody applies as the next of kin to
the investments. About a week ago, I received a letter suggesting a
likely proceeding for confiscation of this deposit in line with the
existing laws, on this note I decided to search for a credible person
to present as the Second Next of Kin to this money, hence I am
contacting you that I may, with your consent, present you to
the?trustee" Bank as my late client's surviving family member so as to
enable you put up a claim to the bank in that capacity as the next of
kin of my late client. We propose that 40% of the net sum will accrue
to you at the conclusion of this deal, while we retain the balance
60%therefore, to facilitate the immediate transfer of this fund, you
need to signify your interest by contacting me via e-mail and as soon
as I obtain your confidence, I will immediately appraise you with the
complete details. I guarantee that this project is 100% risk free and
will be executed under legitimate arrangement that will protect us
from any breach of the law.Please forward the below information to us
immediately

(a) Your Full Names:
(b) Identification:
(c) /Residential Mailing Address:
(d) Telephone, Mobile/Fax Numbers:

Best regards,

Mr,Herbert Smith

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