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joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: =?UTF-8?Q?Mr=2e_Stephen_Swanton?= <mr.stephenswanton1@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2014 13:56:21 +0400
Subject: =?UTF-8?Q?Important_Notice=3a_From_Bank?=
Dr. Stephen Swanton
Global Head of Equity Research
London Regional Office
UBS Investment Bank London.
1 Fins-bury Avenue, London EC2M 2PP.
Greetings my dear friend,
How are you? I seek your consent for a Business. This letter is a Business Proposal. My name is Stephen Swanton Global Head of Equity Research UBS Investment Bank London Branch.
I decided to seek a confidential co-operation with you in the execution of the deal described here for our mutual benefit. During the financial auditing of accounts in my bank, I discovered an unclaimed sum of Fifteen Million Great British Pounds in an account that belongs to one of our late foreign customer (Late Mr. Hock Miller) a Businessman who unfortunately lost his life in a plane crash.
After going through his personal file in my bank I discovered that he died without any specific heir to these funds. I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin to the deceased so that the money in this account will be released to you as the beneficiary, it will be shared between you and me in the following percentages: 65% for me and 35% for you respectively. You will subsequently send my own share as agreed after the transaction is completed.
I got your contact from a reliable source in your country’s Business contact and I believe I can trust you in this Business. All I request is your utmost sincere co-operation and trust to complete this transaction successfully. I have carefully worked out the modalities for execution of this transaction under a legitimate arrangement to protect you from any breach of the law both in your country and here in England when the fund is being transferred to your bank account. I will guide you on how to deal with UBS Investment Bank for the immediate release and transfer of the fund to you. Upon your consideration and acceptance of this offer please send me the information below so that I can upload your data into my Banks database making you the official next of kin / heir beneficiary of the fund.
- Your Full Name:
- Your Contact Address:
- Your Mobile Number:
- Your Date of Birth:
- Occupation:
- Sex:
Thanks in appreciation and anticipation of your urgent response.
Best regards,
Dr. Stephen Swanton
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Anti-fraud resources:
