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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. Donald Montgomery" <mont01don@gmail.com>
Reply-To: donald01montgomery@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 7 Jan 2015 03:40:42 +0800
Subject: Urgent Attention Needed: Greg Starup




Dear Greg Starup,

I am Mr. Donald Montgomery, Manager Asset Management Department for the
Pacific Continental Bank in Washington DC USA. I am getting in touch with
you regarding the estate of a deceased client with similar last name and
an investment placed under our bank management many years ago.

I would respectfully request that you keep the contents of this letter
confidential and respect the integrity of the information you come by as a
result of this confidential letter. I contact you independently and no one
is informed of this communication. In the year 2000, Mr. Thomas Starup
came to our bank to engage in business discussions with our private
banking division. He informed us that he had a financial portfolio of
$12.350 million (Twelve Million Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand United
States dollars) which he wished to have us invest on his behalf.

Based on my advice, we spun the money around various opportunities and
made attractive margins for our first months of operation, the accrued
profit and interest stood at this point at over $1.8 million United States
Dollars. In mid 2002, he instructed that the principal sum ($12.350M) be
liquidated because he needed to make an urgent investment requiring cash
payments in London. We got in touch with a specialist bank, Deutsche Bank
Trust and Finance AG, UK, who agreed to receive this money for a fee and
make cash available to him. However Deutsche Bank Trust and Finance AG, UK
got in touch with us last year that this money has not been claimed. On
further enquiries we found out that he was involved in an accident in
North London, which means he died intestate. He has no next of kin and the
reason I am writing you is because you are namesakes (you both have the
same last name).

What I propose is that since I have exclusive access to his file, you will
be made the beneficiary of these inheritance funds. My bank will contact
you informing you that money has been willed to you. On verification,
which will be the details I make available to my bank, my bank will
instruct Deutsche Bank Trust and Finance AG, UK to make payments to you.
You do not have to known him. I know this might be a bit heavy for you but
please trust me on this. For all your troubles I propose that we split the
money in half. In the banking circle this happens every time. The other
option is that the money will revert back to the state coffers if we don’t
act fast and claim it first.

Nobody is getting hurt; this is a lifetime opportunity for us. I hold the
KEY to these funds, and as an American we see so much cash and funds being
re-assigned daily. I would want us to keep communication for now strictly
confidential by the above Email and or Telephone.

Please, again, note I am a family man; I have a wife and children. I send
you this mail not without a measure of fear as to the consequences, but I
know within me that nothing ventured is nothing gained and that success
and riches never come easy or on a platter of gold. This is one truth I
have learned from my private banking clients. Do not betray my confidence.
If we can be of one goal, we should act swiftly on this. Please get back
to me immediately via the telephone or email address and let me know if
you intend to assist or not. If you also do not want to be involved kindly
let me know so I would sever further communication with you.

Thank you in anticipation to your response.

Regards,
Donald Montgomery.
+12026429638

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