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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: "Mr. Miguel Castelo Branco" (may be fake)
Reply-To: < miguelbranco.esq@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 2015 23:12:37 -0600
Subject: Do get back soon.

Av.Da Liberdade 249-11250-143 Lisbon, Portugal.
Tel: +351 92 039 81 14 Fax: +351 30 030 93 99
Email: fcbassociados@lawyer.com

Hello,

Do permit me to introduce myself briefly; I am Mr. Miguel Castelo Branco of FCB&A SOCIEDADE DE ADVOGADOS, Lisbon-Portugal. Actually, I got your contact information through the world public records while searching for a last name similar to my late client a business magnate by name Mr. Walter, who lived in Portugal for nineteen years, he died along with his family during the cyclone nargis which occurred in May 2008 during their short holidays visit to Myanmar buma. Do not be amazed by this letter. I am contacting you based on trust and confidentiality that will be attached to this transaction.

Prior to my explaining further, I must first make an apology for this unsolicited mail to you. I am conscious that this is certainly not a predictable way of approach to foster a relationship of trust but because of the circumstances and urgency surrounding this claim I decided to reach you via this media to join me to put claim on this fund before it is seized or confiscated by the authorities. Before the catastrophe, He deposited the sum of $10.4M (TEN MILLION, FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND US DOLLARS) with a bank here in Portugal.

As the attorney to late Mr. Walter, the Bank has mandated me to present a member of his family heir; inheritor to make claim or the fund will be confiscated to the Federal Reserve Account as unclaimed. I was given an ultimatum to look for some relative to come for the claim or have the fund liquidated and made unserviceable in accordance with existing laws.

After preliminary efforts of search for a direct family member which came to no avail, I decided to contact you. My suggestion to you is that I will like to present you as the beneficiary to this deposited fund, I know you may not be anyway related to my late client but having a common surname with him is a possibility that the fund will be released or transfer to you. I can guarantee that if you are willing and interested I will put in place all necessary modality in accordance with the law to legally present you as the true next of kin/ beneficiary.

This transaction is 100% risks free as I have worked out all modalities to complete the operation effectively. Once the fund is released and transfer to you, we shall divide the fund with the sharing ratio of 50/50% ($ 5.2/$5.2 Million each) for each of us as our benefits.

Kindly indicate your interest to this letter either via any of the stated email above or you can as well call or send me a fax for further clarification. Endeavour to get back to me whether you are willing to collaborate with me or not so that I can further my search for another partner.

Kind Regards,

Mr. Miguel Castelo Branco
Email: miguelbranco.esq@gmail.com

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