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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: xcoms@xcom.owncloud.arvixe.com
Date: Mon, 30 Jun 2014 11:46:00 -0700
Subject: EXPECTING YOUR KIND COMMENT

MR. MAXIMUS COSMUS
FIRST BANK NIGERIA PLC
BROAD STREET BRANCH, LAGOS
NIGERIA.

Hello,

RE: VERY CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS.

First, I must solicit your confidence in this transaction; this is by
virtue of its nature as being utterly CONFIDENTIAL and TOP SECRET.
Though I know that a transaction of this magnitude will make anyone
apprehensive and worried, but I am assuring you that all will be well at
the end of the day. I have decided to contact you by e-mail due to the
urgency of this transaction. Let me start by first introducing myself
properly to you. I am Mr. Maximus Cosmus (Account Officer), at the FIRST
BANK NIGERIA PLC, LAGOS. I came to know of you in my private search for
a reliable and reputable person to handle a very confidential
transaction which involves the transfer of a huge sum of money to a
foreign account requiring maximum confidence. Please do take this
message with a good heart and revert to me if you are not interested so
that I can look for another person. What I just want you to bear in mind
is that sometimes man is God to man and as well nothing normally go for
nothing in a matter like the one I stated below.

THE PROPOSITION:
A foreigner whom I am his account officer, late Engineer ROLCE CLARKE,
is a very rich Oil Merchant/contractor with the federal Government of
Nigeria, until his death three months ago in a ghastly air crash. He
banked with us here at FIRST BANK NIGERIA PLC, BROAD STREET BRANCH,
Lagos, and had a closing balance of USD$40.M (Forty Million, United
States Dollars) which the bank now unquestionably expects to be claimed
by any of his available foreign next of kin. Because either by his
carelessness or otherwise, Mr. Rolace Clarke failed to submit another
next of kin after the death of her barren wife early February, 2014,
whom is his next of kin in his “NOTICE OF WIFE DEATH” pending file with
me.
Fervent valuable efforts has been made by me as his account officer to
get in touch with any of the CLARKE family or relatives but all have
proved to no avail. It is because of the perceived possibility of not
going to be able to locate any of late Engr. ROLCE CLARKE's next of kin
(he had no known wife and children) that the bank management under the
influence of our Chairman, board of directors, considered an arrangement
for the fund to be declared "UNCLAIMABLE" and then be subsequently be
donated to the Trust Fund for Alms and War in Africa and the world in
general. In order to avert this negative development, I now seek for
your permission to have you stand as late Engr. ROLCE CLARKE's next of
kin so that the fund, USD$40.M USD would be subsequently transferred
and paid into your bank account as the beneficiary next of kin. All
documents and proves to enable you get this fund have been carefully
worked out and I am assuring you a 100% risk free involvement. Take
Note: - In this world, nothing goes for nothing and man is God to his
fellow human of which if you do assist me, your commission would be 40%
& 60% is for me for investment purposes in your area. If this proposal
is OK by you and you do wish to take advantage of the trust I hope to
bestow on you, then kindly get back to me immediately via my e-mail
furnishing me with your most confidential email, telephone, fax number
for further discussions, so that I can forward to you the relevant
details of this transaction.
For more secure reasons, I advise you reply me through this my
confidentially email addresses: maximuscosmus@yahoo.com

Thank you in advance for your kind anticipated cooperation.

Regards,
Mr. Maximus Cosmus

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