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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. Roland Walter" <bjkim@medy-tox.co.kr>
Reply-To: <rolandwalter010@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 28 Feb 2016 07:58:24 -0800
Subject: Business Relationship.....

Dear Sir,
 
Mutual Business Relationship
 
I am Mr. Roland Walter, Branch Manager with one of the banks here in my Country. I have urgent and very confidential business proposition for you. On June 6, 2000, an American Oil Consultant/Contractor with the Mobile Oil. Mr. Scott Bails made a numbered time (Fixed) Deposit for twenty Four calendar months. Valued at £25,000,000.00 (Twenty Five Million British Pounds Sterling ), in my branch upon maturity, I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but got no reply.  After a month, we sent a reminder and finally we discovered from his contract employers the Mobile Oil that Mr. Scott Bails died in air crash in Ethiopia. On further investigation, I found out that he died without making "WILL’’ and all attempts to trace his next of kin were fruitless.
 
I therefore made further investigation and discovered that Mr. Scott Bails and did not declare any next of kin or relations in all his official documents, including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank. This sum of £25,000,000.00 is still sitting in my Bank and the interest is being rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year. No one will ever come forward to claim the funds and according to law of my country, at the expiration of 16 (Sixteen) years, the money will revert to the ownership of the Government if nobody applies to claim the fund. Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you to act as the next of kin to Mr. Scott Bails so that the fruits of this old man's labour will not get into the hands of corrupt government officials here.
 
I got your contact through my personal internet search.
 
This transaction is very simple and risk free, therefore I will  like you to provide immediately your full name and address so that an  Attorney will prepare the necessary documents and affidavits, which will put you in place as the next of kin. We shall employ the service of an Attorney for drafting and notarisation of the "WILL" and to obtain the necessary documents and letter of probate and realisation in your favour for the transfer.
 
A Bank Account in any part of the world, which you will provide with zero balance will then facilitate the transfer of this money to you 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 30% for you and 10% will be for expenses both parties might have incurred during the process of transferring the money.
 
I look forward to your earliest reply by email.
 
Yours Truly.
 
Mr. Roland Walter
Branch Manager.

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