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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: "J. K" <glorne4@gmail.com>
Reply-To: kw92229@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 24 Aug 2015 06:49:37 -0400
Subject: YOUR URGENT REPLY NEEDED

--
*Good Day,*

*STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.*

*I hope you are sound in good health. I was privileged to get your contact
from your country's Chambers of commerce and industries here in Ghana. With
all due respect, I would want to believe that my message will not embarrass
you, since I have no previous correspondence with you.*

*I am a regional manager of one of the biggest Banks in Accra, Ghana. I
have an urgent and very confidential business proposition for you. In 2006,
a foreign Contractor with the Ghana Gold Mining Corporation, (Name
deliberately with held) made a Fixed Deposit for twelve calendar months,
valued at US$19,500,000.00 (Nineteen Million Five Hundred Thousand United
State Dollars Only) in my branch. Upon maturity, I sent a routine
notification to his forwarding address but got no reply.*

*After a month, I sent a reminder still no response and finally I
discovered the depositor died from an automobile accident with his entire
family. On further investigation, I found out that he died without making a
WILL and all attempts to trace his next of kin were fruitless. *

*I therefore made further investigation and discovered that the depositor
did not declare any next of kin or relations in all his official documents.
No one will ever come forward to make a claim. The bank laws stipulate at
the expiration of 10 (Ten) years, the money will revert to the ownership of
the bank if nobody applies to claim the fund. Consequently, my proposal is
that I will like you as a foreigner to stand as an extended relation to the
deceased.*

*I will send you a letter of claim as the beneficiary/next of kin. The
money will be paid into your account for us to share in the ratio of 60%
for me and 35% for you and 5% for any expenses that we are going to incur
in course of the process, if you are okay with the percentage, I shall then
provide you with more details and relevant documents that will help you
understand the transaction.*

*There is no risk involve at the end of the transfer of the fund to your
bank account, all documents relating to the transfer will be retrieved from
all files and destroyed. Your urgent reply is needed once you are okay with
my proposal.*

*Thanks,*

*Mr. J. K.*

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