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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: lee47chang@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 23 Jun 2020 23:40:59 +0100
Subject: Hello.........

Dear Sir/madam,
I am Chang Lee,account officer in hang seng bank Hong Kong. Seven years ago Gen Abdukarim Abdullah a Syrian army deposited the sum of 35.7 million USD with my bank in Hong Kong. And I happen to be his account officer at the time he make the initial deposit.

Two years ago I had an information that Gen Abdukarim Abdullah died in a Turkish air strike in edlib province in Syria, since then no one has come to lay claims to the funds and also as at the time he made the initial deposit there was no next of kin in any of the documents he gave to the bank.

According to Hong Kong bank policy by the end of this year the funds will be transferred to Hong Kong Central Bank and no one can lay claims to the funds anymore. I need you to act as a beneficiary to this funds, I will prepare all the necessary documents that will enable you lay claims to these funds. I also want you to understand that you will be entitled to 40 percent of the total sum after the funds has been transferred to your personal bank account as your share of the deal and you will help me invest 60 percent of the funds in real estate business or other lucrative investment in your country. Please i need you to keep this transaction confidential and get back to me as soon as possible,so that we can start working on modalities that will enable you lay claims to the funds.

Am looking forward to doing business with you.

Regards,
Chang lee

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