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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: "tai" <rkurt20@excite.com>
Reply-To: mrtai050505@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2017 12:39:07 +0200
Subject: Reply With the Needful

Hello,

Thanks for your response and interest in assisting me in this transaction, the source of this fund is a deposit made by a client now deceased {AKTAN BASTAAN} with no known relative or next of kin, according to the laws of my country at the expiration of 4 years any funds unclaimed will revert to the ownership of the Government if nobody applies to claim the funds. I know you would be wondering why I am not doing this on my own but quite frankly I would have loved to do so but then it will be known that I personally filed for the release of the funds, that is why I need you.

I have secured the services of an attorney who has commenced the processing of the claims; he however requires the names of the beneficiary to be able to make all and any submissions, I want you to be the beneficiary who shall receive the funds, we are going to adopt a legalized method of effecting the transfer. Please endeavor to observe utmost discretion in all matters concerning this issue, however I would like to be sure of your willingness, trustworthiness and commitment to execute this transaction with me, I cannot afford to compromise these virtues considering the money involved.

If you are familiar with private banking affairs, those who patronize our services usually prefer anonymity, but also some levels of detachment from conventional processes. In his bio-data form, he listed no next of kin. In the field of private banking, opening an account with us means no one will know of its existence, accounts are rarely held under a name; depositors use numbers and codes to make the accounts anonymous.

This leaves me as the only person with the full picture of what the prevailing situation is in relation to the deposit and the late beneficiary of the deposit. According to practice, the firm will by the end of this financial year broadcast a request for statements of claim to INDUSTRIAL COMMERCIAL BANK OF CHINA, HONG KONG failing to receive viable claims they will most probably revert the deposit back to INDUSTRIAL COMMERCIAL BANK OF CHINA, HONG KONG. This will result in the money entering the INDUSTRIAL COMMERCIAL BANK OF CHINA, HONG KONG, accounting system and the portfolio will be out of my hands and out of the Private Banking Services Department. This will not happen if I have my
way.

After more inquiry it was also discovered that the Deceased {AKTAN BASTAAN} did not declare any next of kin in his official papers including the paper work of his bank deposit. And he also confided in me the last time he was at my office that no one except me knew of his deposit in my bank. So, $21,300,000.00 US Dollars {Twenty One million Three Hundred Thousand United State Dollars} is still lying in my bank and no one will ever come forward to claim it.

After you have been made the next of kin, the attorney will also fill in for claims on your behalf and secure the necessary approval and letter of probate in your favor for the move of the funds to an account that will be provided by you. There is no risk involved at all in this matter, as we are going adopt a legalized method and the attorney will prepare all the necessary documents.

Please endeavor to observe utmost discretion in all matters concerning this issue. Once the funds have been transferred to your nominated bank account we shall then share in the ratio of 60% for me 40% for you. There is a reward for this project and it is a task well worth undertaking. There is no risk involved at all in the matter, I have evaluated the risks and the only risk I have here is for you refusing to work with me and alerting my bank. I am the only one who knows of this situation, good fortune has blessed you with a name that has planted you into the center of relevance in my life.

Should you still be interested please send me the below information’s immediately via my private email address

1, Full names,
2, occupation,
3, private phone number,
4, current residential address.

Your earliest response to this letter will be appreciated.

Kind Regards
Lui Tai Ling

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