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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: Mr.James Brown
Reply-To: <jb14196@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 21 Oct 2015 06:30:35 +0200
Subject: INHERITANCE FUNDS BUSINESS DEAL OPPORTUNITY

2 Exchange Square
85 Maude Street Sandton
2196
South Africa
Fax Line: +27-86-544-6592
Tel:+27-78-123-9049

....................................................................................................................................................................................................
Good day,
My name is James Brown; I am a senior partner in the Technical Advisory Board of HSBC bank of South Africa and Head
of Global Payments and Cash Management. We are conducting a standard process investigation on behalf of "AIB
Group”, the International Banking conglomerate.
This investigation involves a foreign expatriate that worked with Tam marine Oil Services Inc who deposited Millions of
Dollars with the bank before he died. He shares similar name with you and also the circumstances surrounding other
investments made by this client at "AIB Group”, the Private Banking arm of Allied Irish Bank, the client died in testate
and nominated no successor in title over the investments made with the bank. Would respectfully request that you
keep the contents of this mail private and respect the integrity of the information you come by as a result of this mail.
According to records his parents died at his tender age and he was brought up in the Charity Foundation. He attended
Harvard University under Shell Petroleum Company scholarship and later was employed by the Oil Services Sub of Shell
Petroleum before he resigned and became a contractor in the oil industry.
I contact you independently of our investigation and no one is informed of this communication. I would like to intimate
you with certain facts that I believe would be of interest to you. You share similar details to the late fellow; I am
prepared to place you in a position to instruct the firm to release the deposit to you as the closest surviving relation.
Upon receipt of the deposit, I am prepared to share the money with you, that is, I will simply nominate you as the next
of kin and have them release the deposit to you. We share the proceeds 50/50. I would have gone ahead to ask the
funds be released to me, but that would have drawn a straight line to me and my involvement in claiming the deposit.
But on the other hand, you with the same very name as the depositor's would easily pass as the beneficiary with right
to claim. I assure you that I could have the deposit released to you within few working days.
I ask that if you find no interest in this project that you should discard this mail. I ask that you do not be vindictive and
destructive. If my offer is of no appeal to you, delete this message and forget I ever contacted you. Do not destroy my
career because you do not approve of my proposal. You may not know this but people like me who have made tidy
sums out of comparable situations run the whole private banking sector.
I am not a criminal and what I do, I do not find against good conscience because the late depositor has no relatives as
you can see, this may be hard for you to understand, but the dynamics of my industry dictates that I make this move.
Such opportunities only come ones in a lifetime. I cannot let this chance pass me by, for once; I have found myself in
total control of my destiny. These chances won't pass me by. I ask that you do not destroy my chance, if you will not
work with me let me know and let me move on with my life but do not destroy me.
I am a family man and this is an opportunity to provide them with new opportunities and you same opportunity if we
work together in this transaction.
There is a reward for this project and it is a task well worth undertaking. I have evaluated the risks and the only risk I
have here is from you refusing to work with me. I am the only one who knows of this situation, good fortune has
blessed you with a name that has planted you into the centre of relevance in my life. Let’s share the blessing. If you
find yourself able to work with me, contact me through my email account below. If you give me positive signals, I will
initiate this process towards a conclusion.
I send you this mail not with a measure of fear because I know the transaction is risk free, but I know within me that
nothing ventured is nothing gained and that success and riches never come easy or on a platter of gold. If you can be
trusted, send me your Full Name: Occupation: Address and Telephone numbers to enable me file for release of the
funds in your name.
This is the one truth I have learned from my private banking clients. Do not betray my confidence. If we can be of one
accord, we should plan a meeting soon. Give me a call on the receipt of this e-mail on my direct mobile number +27-
78-123-9049 for further clarification.
Kind regards,
James Brown
Head of Global Payment & Cash Management
Hsbc Bank of South Africa

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