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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: "Mr John Harvey" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <harvey.john96@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2010 12:44:51 +0100
Subject: Urgent responce needed

Attention;
 
 
I am an Account Officer with PLATINUM HABIB WORLD BANK PLC ,My name is John Harvey ,a Banker. I am the personal Account Manager to late Engineer” Allen  " who is a National of your country, who used to work with an Oil servicing Firm in Nigeria. Here in after shall be referred to as my client, my client passed on as a result of a ghastly motor accident along side with his wife and two kids on the 21st day of April,2008.
 
 
After these several unsuccessful attempts in locating any of his relatives, distant or near, I decided to trace his name over the Internet, to locate any member of his family hence I contacted you. I have contacted you to assist me in repatriating the money and property left behind by my client before they Get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank where this huge deposits were lodged, particularly the PLATINUM HABIB WORLD BANK PLC.
 
Where the deceased had an account Valued at about ($15.2 million US dollars) has Issued me a notice to provide the next of kin, Or have the account confiscated within the next ten official working days. Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 2 years now, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased since you answer the same last name as the deceased so that this account valued at ($ 15.2 million US dollars) can be paid to you in your foreign account.
 
 
All I require from you is your honest cooperation to enable us see this transaction through as I have already drafted out the strategies in other to enable us do this without too much problem.
Please get in touch with me with your details through my private email address:
Harvey.john96@gmail.com .And do send me your phone number for easy communication and the best time to reach you .
 
 
Regards,
 
 
Mr John Harvey.
 
 

Anti-fraud resources: