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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: "Dan Koh" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <dankoh200@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2015 17:03:26 +0100
Subject: Re:Consideration

Dear Friend,

My name is Mr.Dan Koh, I work with Wing Lung Bank Ltd Hong Kong, Account Officer to my late client who died along with his wife, his two sons and one daughter in an open gunfire accident over 5 years now (17 March 2010). My late client was a successful and accomplished family man, who made enough fortune before his untimely death.

Since I was mandated by my bank as his account officer to locate his next of kin or family member to make claims to the funds in our bank, I  made several inquiries through the Embassy to locate any of my clients extended relative but this exercise has proved unsuccessful. Hence, the board of directors of our bank adopted a resolution and I was mandated to provide his next of kin for the payment of this money within 20 working days or forfeit the money to the bank as UNCLAIMED FUND and as you might want to know from my experience as a banker concerning such UNCLAIMED funds are shared among the top directors for their personal benefit without the shareholders of the bank knowing about it and such funds are not declared as profit since this is one of the means top directors of banks enrich themselves or make money to become rich and wealthy.

The bank  planned to invoke the abandoned fund decree of 1996 to confiscate the funds after the expiration of the 20 working days period given to me. Trying to find a way out of this, I went on a search and fortunately I came across your name to my utmost amazement which aroused my reason to contact you for a deal on this which will be of benefit to you and I. Please if you are interested in this, you will be required to furnish me with your details as follows:

1. Full names
2. private phone number
3. current residential address
4. Your Occupation

I have reasoned very professionally and I feel it will be legally proper to present you as the next of kin of my deceased client left in his bank account so that the funds can be paid to you. This is my reason for contacting you. I seek your consent to present you as the Next of Kin to the Deceased since you are at an advantage, so that the proceeds of this Bank Account valued at $38,980,369.00 (Thirty Eight Million, Nine Hundred and Eighty Thousand, Three Hundred and Sixty Nine USD) can be paid to you.

We shall both share the funds together. I will secure all the necessary Legal Documents that will be used to back up our claim. What I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of law. I have more than 20 years banking experience and I will not pull up a transaction that is not clear and safe; so please be assured that this transaction is 100% risk free, once you abide to my directives.

Thank you for taking the time to read through this and for your anticipated cooperation.

I look forward to your prompt response to proceed.

Best Regards,
Mr.Dan Koh

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