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.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: bright saul <bright_s2005@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 13 Jun 2005 05:41:55 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: URGENT...


FROM:MR BRIGHT SAUL.
ECO-BANK LOME TOGO,
WEST AFRICA.

DEAR :



MY NAME IS MR BRIGHT SAUL, THE MANAGER CREDIT AND FOREIGN BILLS OF ECOBANK LOME TOGO [ECB] .

I AM WRITING IN RESPECT OF FOREIGN CUSTOMER OF MY BANK WITH ACCOUNT
NUMBER 14-255-2004/utb/t WHO PERISHED IN A PLANE CRASH [ETHIOPIAN AIRLINE 961] WITH OTHER PASSENGERS ABOARD.

SIR, SINCE THE DEMISE OF THIS OUR CUSTOMER I PERSONALLY HAVE WATCHED WITH KEEN INTEREST TO SEE THE NEXT OF KIN BUT ALL HAS PROVED ABORTIVE AS NO ONE HAS COME TO CLAIM HIS FUNDS OF USD.10.5 M,[ TEN MILLION FIVE
HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS]HAS BEEN WITH MY BANK FOR A VERY LONG TIME.ON THIS NOTE I DECIDED TO SEEK FOR WHOM HIS NAME SHALL BE USED AS THE NEXT OF KIN AS NO ONE HAS COME UP TO BE THE NEXT OF KIN.
AND THE BANKING ETHICS HERE DOES NOT ALLOW SUCH MONEY TO STAY MORE THAN FOUR YEARS,

BECUASE AFTER FOUR YEARS THE MONEY WILL BE RECALLED TO THE BANK TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED IN VIEW OF THIS I GOT YOUR IMPRESIVE CONTACT THROUGH MY COUNTRY'S TRADE MISSION GUEST BOOK,

AND I CONSIDER YOUR FAVOURABLE TO BE USED AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASED. THE REQUEST OF THE FOREIGNER AS A NEXT OF KIN IN THIS BUSINESS IS OCCASIONED BY THE FACT THAT THE CUSTOMER WAS A FOREIGNER AND A TOGOLESE CANNOT STAND AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO A FOREIGNER.

I AGREED THAT USD 2.5 M OF THIS MONEY WILL BE FOR YOU AS A FOREIGN PARTNER IN RESPECT OF PROVIDING AN ACCOUNT,WHILE THE REST WILL BE FOR ME, THEREAFTER I WILL VISIT YOUR COUNTRY FOR DISBURSEMENT AS I AM ALMOST DUE FOR RETIREMENT.

THEREFORE TO ENDEAVOUR THE IMMEDIATE TRANSFER OF THIS FUND TO ACCOUNT AS APPLY FIRST TO THE BANK AS A RELATION TO THE DICEASED INDICATING YOUR BANK NAME, YOUR BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER, YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONE NUMBER, AND FAX NUMBER FOR EASY COMMUNICATION AND LOCATION WHERE THE MONEY WILL BE REMITTED. UPON THE RECEIPT OF YOUR I WILL SEND YOU BY E-MAIL THE TEXT OF APPLICATION LETTER AND THE NEXT STEP TO TAKE.

I WILL NOT FAIL TO BRING TO YOUR NOTICE THAT THIS BUSINESS IS HITCH FREE AND THAT YOU SHOULD NOT ENTERTAIN ANY FEAR AS THE WHOLE REQUIRED ARRANGEMENT AS BEEN MADE FOR THE TRANSFER.

YOU SHOULD CONTACT ME AS A MATTER OF FACT IMMEDIATELY AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS LETTER.TRUSTING TO HEAR FROM YOU AS SOON AS POSIBLE.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,

MR BRIGHT SAUL.
ECO-BANK OF AFRICA
LOME TOGO.




__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com

Anti-fraud resources: