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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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Fraud email example:

From: "ben bruce" <benbruce3000@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 07 Apr 2005 18:57:14 +0200
Subject: THANKS FOR YOUR KINDNESS(Urgent & Confidential).

FROM THE DESK OF MR.BEN BRUCE.
BILL AND EXCHANGE MANAGER,
AMALGAMATED BANK OF SOUTH AFRICA BANK.
SOUTH AFRICA.

TEL.NO.+27-72-1334-568:
TOP SECRET:

Dear Friend,
I am a staff of Amalgamated Banks of South Africa Bank in the file/computer
department. I got your contact through an internet business proposal so i
decided to contact you on this business opportunity after my prayers.

In my department I discovered an abandoned sum of $ 15.5m US dollars
(FIFTEEN million FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND US dollars) . In an account that
belongs to one of our, foreign customer who died along with his entire
family in JULY 2000, in a plane crash.

Since we got information about the death of this Bank customer, we have been
expecting his next of kin to come up and claim the money that is left behind
here in my Bank and because we cannot release the fund unless somebody
applies for the fund as next of kin or the relation to the deceased Bank
customer as indicated in our banking guidelines but unfortunately we learnt
that all his supposed next of kin or relation died alongside with him at the
plane crash leaving nobody behind for the claim.

It is therefore upon this discovery from the investigation which i made that
I decided to contact you into this businness proposal and also guide you
here for the Bank Top official to release the money to you as the next of
kin or relation to the deceased for safety and subsequent disbursement of
the whole fund in your country since nobody is coming up for the cliam.And I
dont want this money to go into the Bank treasury as unclaimed Bill.

The Banking law and guideline here in my country stipulates that if such
money remained unclamed after 4years, the money will be transfered into the
Bank treasury as unclaimed fund. So the request of a foreigner as next of
kin in this business is occasioned by the fact that the customer was a
foreigner , here cannot stand as next of kin relation to a foreigner.

That was why i agree that 30 % of this money will be for you as foreign
partner, in respect to the provision of a foreign account, 10 % will be set
aside for expenses incured during the business and 60 % would be for me.

As soon as the whole fund is transfered into your foriegn nominated Bank
account in your country i will visit your country for the disbursement of
the fund according to the percentages indicated above.

Therefore to enable the immediate trnansfer of this fund to you as arranged
by me here, you must apply first to the bank here as relations or next of
kin of the deceased Bank customer in the Bank here indicating:

Your Bank Name.
Your private telephone No.
Your Fax No.

This is for easy and effective communication and also the location where in
the money will be remitted into.

Please note that upon receipt of your reply, I will immediately send to you
by fax or email the text of the application. I will also not fail to bring
to your notice that this transaction is a hitch free business transaction
and that you should not entertain any atom of fear as all required
arrangements on how this whole fund will be transfered into your private
nominated Bank account in your country has smoothly arranged by me here .

You should contact me immediately as soon as you receive this letter.

Trusting to hear from you immediately.

Best regards.

Mr.BEN BRUCE.
(Bill & Ex.ManagerABSABANK.).

Tel.No.2772-1334-568.

Email: benbruce3006@yahoo.co.in

N/B.my intention of writing you through email is because i believe it is
very urgent and confidential.


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