joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
 Free trial for 30 days
   jwSpamSpy
Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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: "Michael Cole" <mikecole57@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: mikecole12@o2.pl
Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2006 02:28:41 +0100
Subject: CONFIDENTIAL / URGENT PROPOSAL

From: Dr.MICHAEL COLE
Private email: mikecole12@o2.pl
Date:19/07/06

DEAR SIR

CONFIDENTIAL / URGENT PROPOSAL

Firstly,I must solicit your confidence in this transaction.I know that a
transaction of this magnitude will make any one apprenhensive,but be assured
that at the end all concerned would smile.I decided to contact you due to
the urgency of this transaction.

I am DR MICHAEL COLE , a staff of HSBC BANK PLC .I got your contact via my
private search and decided to ask for your personal involvement because of
the urgency of this business.

THE PROPOSAL:
A Foreigner,Late Mr Peter Creek an Expartriate engineer,who was involved in
oil merchant/ contractor, until His death over three years ago in a ghastly
car accident,banked with us here and a closing balance as at the end of
March,2000 of USD 35. 2Million(thirty five million,two hundred thousand
dollars)equivalent in the local currency,which the bank now expects a next
of kin to claim as beneficiary.All efforts by bank to contact any of his
relatives proved unseccesful. As a result of this the Board of Directors are
about to place the fund as"UNCLAIMAMBLE"and it has been decided that the
funds shall be shared among themselves.

In order to prevent this,some of my colleagues and i now seek your
assistance to have you stand in as the beneficiary's next of kin.All
documents to enable you claim this fund will be carefully obtained from the
federal high court of justice. This Proposal is 100% risk free on your side
because i will obtain a court ruling order that you are the beneficiary's
next of kin.

We have agreed that 25% of the total fund when remitted would be your share.
Again take note that up to 10% of would stand as incidental expenses,The
remaining 65% would be our share,more details would follow with time.

If this proposal is acceptable to you ,kindly contact me through my private
E-mail address and foward to me your full names and address including your
private telephone and fax numbers for easy communications and indicate your
interest urgently by assuring me of your capability and readiness to proceed
with me.

PLEASE TREAT THIS AS A VERY URGENT AND CONFIDENTIAL MATTER.

Thanks and I await your urgent response
Yours Faithfully,
DR MICHAEL COLE

_________________________________________________________________
Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today it's FREE!
http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/


Anti-fraud resources: