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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 MARK WILLIAMS" (may be fake)
Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2014 20:58:27 -0000
Subject: THE DESK OF MR MARK WILLIAMS

Attn:

I humbly crave your indulgence in sending you this mail, if the contents does not meet with your personal and business ethics, I apologize in advance, this is by virtue of its nature as being utterly "CONFIDENTIAL AND TOP SECRET". Though I know that a transaction of this magnitude will make any one apprehensive and worried, but I am assuring you that all will be well at the end of the day. I have decided to contact you due to the urgency of this transaction, as I have been reliable informed of your discreteness and ability in transaction of this nature.

Let me start first, introduce myself properly to you. I am Mr. MARK WILLIAMS, of Dept of Bill and Exchange with CAPITAL FINANCE CORPORATION.

I need your consent to handle this transaction because it entails large amount of funds ($6.2 Million Dollars) deposited by a deceased customer in our bank who died long time ago but has an open beneficiary mandate on his file though, there has not been anyone from his family to make claim of this funds but i am sure he has no immediate family because i have tried all i could to contact them but to no avail.

THE PROPOSITION:
I wish to know if we can work together. I would like you to stand as next of kin to my deceased client, who was among the people that lost their life in Egypt air crash 1999, with the wife.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/502503.stm

http://www.theguardian.com/world/1999/nov/02/egyptaircrash.usa4

He made some deposits with our bank, and died without any registered next of kin and as such the funds now have an open beneficiary mandate. I would like you to Come forward and Act as the Next of Kin. So that you would be able to inherit this Funds.You might be Sceptical about Nationality and so on but My Attorney will make everything Legal(Risk-Free).

You would have to provide me some Personal Details of yours that would enable My Attorney kick-start his role in preparing the Legal Documents that would make you the next of Kin and help us to secure the Letter of Probate which would be in your Favor so that the Transfer of the Funds to your Account would be Successful.

Most importantly, I would implore you to keep this Transaction strictly confidential and Please don't reveal it to anyone until the Transaction has been Completed. I can assure you that the Transaction is 100% risk free and it wouldn't put you and your Family in harm's way.

Conclusively, If you are interested in working with me, I would like you to send the following details as soon as possible:

Full Names:
Address:
Telephone/Fax Number:
Age:
International Passport
Occupation:


I would keep you abreast with further information regarding this Transaction as we proceed. Thanks and I am patiently awaiting your response.


Best regards,
MR MARK WILLIAMS

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