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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. Fred Mustapha" <dreedwardmensah@gmail.com>
Reply-To: bends342@hotmail.com
Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2022 15:48:40 +0100
Subject: My Estate Beneficiary !!! Reply for more details

My Greetings to You,

This Email is for your urgent attention, My name is Fred Mustapha Esq, a
Family Attorney. It is my pleasure to forward this proposal to you for our
mutual interest. In March 2016 to be precise my client who was a contractor
deposited the sum of US$16.5 Million as a fixed deposit, with a maturity
date of 29th of September 2017 with an International Bank, at Victoria
Island, which is a Private Bank.

My client unfortunately died 2 months before the maturity date and till
date nobody has come to claim the fund. Recently, the bank has asked my Law
office to provide the name of his relatives/ Next of Kin that will claim
the fund. In view of this, I conducted a private search and discovered that
my Late Client did not have a surviving relative or a traceable relative
because he is not a Citizen and he did not state his next of kin in the
fixed deposit document.

Considering the fact that he has no traceable relative who will eventually
apply for the claim, I decided to contact you as a foreign because my Late
Client has the same SURNAME with you, so that you can apply for claim "WITH
MY ASSISTANCE" my Law office will handle this transaction on your behalf
and I will stand as your personal attorney.

The sharing ratio of this transaction is 50% for and 50% me, Please be
advised that all the rules and regulations guiding this inheritance shall
be strictly adhered to. This transaction is 100% legitimate and I have all
the necessary documentary facts to back up the transaction as we proceed.

Kindly contact me so that I can submit your name as the next of kin by
sending your full names, house address, Age, occupation and your Mobile
Phone Number/ WhatsApp Number, with your private email for more details /
follow up.

Thanks as I await your email Reply.

Regards

Mr. Fred Mustapha
Victoria Island

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