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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: "Larry Jordan" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <larryjordan@accountant.com>
Date: Mon, 13 Jul 2015 07:33:07 -0700
Subject: FAVOR

Hello,
I am contacting you based on a transfer of funds from a deceased account here in Dah Sing Bank Hong Kong, which I work as an accountant. Though, I know a transaction of this magnitude will make any one apprehensive and worried, but am assuring you all arrangements will be legally done as am contacting you due to its urgency.
I discovered an abandoned sum of (Six Million Seven Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) in an account that belongs to our foreign customer (late) who died along with his entire family.
Since his death, none of his next-of-kin or relations has come forward to lay claims over this fund as the beneficiary. The funds cannot be released from his account unless someone applies for claims as the next-of-kin/beneficiary to the deceased as indicated in our banking regulations.
Upon discovery, I seek your permission to have you stand as next of kin/beneficiary to the deceased as all documentation will be carefully and legally worked out by me for the funds to be released in your favor as the beneficiary/next of kin.
Please furnish me with the following requested information if interested;

1. Beneficiary Name and Home Contact Address.
2. Direct Telephone and Mobile Number.
3. Date of Birth and Occupation
This information will enable us file a letter of claims to the appropriate departments for necessary approval of documents needed in your favor, before transfer can be made. I shall be compensating yo with 40% immediately this transaction is done.
If this proposal is acceptable by you, please do not take undue advantage of the trust I have in you.
Kindly get back to me with the requested information to proceed further.
Contact me back on Email: larryjordan@accountant.com
Larry Jordan

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