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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: Greg Wilbur <naimpactlimited@gmail.com>
Reply-To: gregwilbur67@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 17 May 2015 19:58:37 -0400
Subject: Hello



--
Dear Sir/Madam,

This email may come to you as a surprise because we have not met but the
idea is borne out of my sincere desire to work with you in a transaction
that will benefit us mutually.

I am the Operation Manager of a security and deposit company in
Valletta, Malta. Our clients are mostly oil & gas contractors, gamblers
and tax evaders who utilize offshore financial loopholes to evade paying
taxes in their native countries.

During our first quarter audit, I discovered that one of our clients (a
Dutch oil merchant) perished in a Malaysia Airline Flight MH17 that was
shot down by rebels in Eastern Ukraine. Several attempts to contact his
next of kin revealed that his wife and 3 kids died in same air crash and
there is no other surviving member of his family.

The deposit is worth $20 million USA Dollars and the Malta State
inheritance law requires that the money be turned over to the government
if nobody claims it after 24 months. Therefore, I am contacting you to
work with me in claiming this fund because you share same name with the
depositor.

As the Operational Manager, it’s my duty to screen and investigate all
claims and present final release documents to the board. I will provide
you with all secret information to make the claim, make sure that it is
approved and the money released to you. Your job is to stand as a
distant relation of our client and act as my front.

I propose that you get 30% of the money, 40% for me and 30% for charity.
I also guarantee that the transaction will be 100% legal with all
necessary documents to cover you for now and in the future. I will give
you more information upon your response.

If you are interested in this offer, get back to me as soon as possible.

Regards,
Greg Wilbur.


.

Anti-fraud resources: