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: "Mr.John Clayworth" <delilas4catering@gmail.com>
Reply-To: johnclayworth77@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Wed, 21 May 2014 00:19:45 -0700
Subject: Re:

Greetings,

I am Mr. John Clayworth the Bank Manager of a Citibank branch here in
London. I have an urgent and very confidential business proposition
for you. On 26 August 2009, a Libyan army officer and the National
Security Advisor of Libya, Moatassem Billah Gaddafi, made a numbered
time (Fixed deposit), valued at US$54,500,000.00 (Fifty Four Million,
Five hundred Thousand Dollars only) in my branch, upon maturity in
2012. He was the fourth son of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi,
and a member of his father's inner circle. In October 20, 2011, he
died from his wounds after being captured in gun battle by
anti-Gaddafi forces.

On further investigation, I found out that he died without making a
WILL. Now, I have discovered that Mr. Moatassem Billah Gaddafi did not
declare any next of kin or relation in all his official documents,
including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank.

This sum of US$54,500,000.00 has been floating since 2012 in my bank
as all efforts to get his relatives have hit the rocks. Consequently,
my proposal is that I want to seek your consent as a foreigner to
stand in as the next of kin to the deceased so that the bank will
transfer the money to your designated account.

All documents and proves to enable you get this fund will be carefully
worked out. I will use my position as the manager of this branch to
perfect it all. I will also procure every necessary document that will
position you as the rightful next of kin to Mr. Moatassem Billah
Gaddafi. More so, I am assuring you that this business is a risk free
involvement.

The sharing of the funds will be based according to agreement between
{both of us} that is, you and I. As soon as I receive an
acknowledgement of receipt of this message in acceptances of our
mutual business proposal, I will furnish you with the necessary
modalities and disbursement ratio to suit both parties without any
conflict. If this proposal is acceptable by you, do not take undue
advantage of the trust I have bestowed in you.

REPLY ON THIS EMAIL: johnclayworth77@gmail.com

Kind regards
Mr.John Clayworth

Anti-fraud resources: