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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: Simon Lamine <slamine381@gmail.com>
Reply-To: s.lamine537@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 7 Jun 2015 23:58:22 -0700
Subject: I look forward to hearing from you.

Attn: Sir,

I am careful in giving out this information for security reasons and
to avoid re-transferring this funds to wrong account.There was our
foreign clients who bear the same surname with you, due to the
numerous natural disasters that hit the Asian countries, most of our
customers lost their life during the flood and earthquake.

As the Treasury/Payment Investigation Department of our bank, I have
been making inquiry to get his next of kin to enable our bank
re-transfer his funds which he deposited with us to the next of kin as
stipulated by our banking system. Fortunately while i was going
through some Docket-Files in my office. I came across where he wrote
this (E-mail and your Name) as the only person to contact if anything
happens to him or his family. This was the reason i want you to
confirm your e-mail before revealing this information to you to avoid
transferring the fund into wrong account.

Meanwhile the money involved which our late client. Deposited with us
is (US$7,200,000.00) and according to the central bank rules here in
Accra Ghana, if any dormant account stays for three years, the
government will confiscate the account. I want to verify if really
your the right owner of this ID so that our bank will carry on the
transfer. I will back you up with the relevant document required for
the transfer while you will compensate me with 20% as soon as the fund
is successfully transferred into your account.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks
Mr. Simon Lamine
International commercial Bank.
Office...

Anti-fraud resources: