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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: "john cyrus" <johncyrus_99@msn.com>
Date: Fri, 16 Sep 2005 22:18:55 +0000
Subject: ATTN..

FROM: MR. JOHN CYRUS
ACCOUNTANT, UBN
LAGOS – NIGERIA
E-MAIL: johncyrus_99@msn.com
TEL/FAX: 234-9-2721973

Dear Friend,

First, I must solicit your confidence in this transaction, this is by virtue
if 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.
We have decided to contact you due to the urgency of this transaction, as we
have been reliably informed of your discreteness and ability in transactions
of this nature. Let me start by first introducing myself properly to you.

I am Mr.JOHN CYRUS an Accountant with the Union Bank of Nigeria Plc.Lagos. I
came to know of you in my private search for a reliable and Reputable person
to handle this confidential transaction, which involves the transfer of a
huge sum of money to a foreign account requiring maximum confidence.

THE PROPOSITION:

A foreigner Late Engineer Walter Levelle Mccrary a native of your country
was a Pipeline Engineer with the Federal Government, until his death five
years ago in a pipeline Fire Incidents in warri, banked with us here at
Union Bank Plc. Lagos, and had a closing balance of US$13.5M (Thirteen
Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) which the bank now
unquestionably expects it to be claimed by any available foreign next-of-kin
of the Late beneficiary or alternatively be donated to a discredited trust
fund for arms and Ammunition at a military war college here in Nigeria.

Fervent valuable efforts are being made by the Union Bank to get in touch
with any of the Walter Levelle Mccrary family or relatives but proved to no
avail. It is because of the perceived possibility of not being able to
locate any of Late Engr. Walter Levelle Mccrary 's next-of-kin (he had no
known wife and children) that the management under the influence of our
chairman and member of the board of rectors, retired Major General Aku W.
Aku, that an arrangement be made for the funds to be declared
"UNCLAIMABLE"and subsequently be donated to the Trust Fund for Arms and
Ammunition to further enhance the course of war in Africa and the world in
general.

In order to avert this negative development, so of my trusted colleagues and
I now seek your permission to have you stand as a next-of-kin to Late Engr.
Walter Levelle Mccrary so that the funds US$13.5M would be released and paid
into your bank account as the beneficiary next-of-kin. All documents and
proves to enable you get this fund will be carefully worked out and more so
we are assuring you of a 100% risk free involvement.

Your share stays while the rest would be for my colleagues for and myself
Investment purposes in your country. We have agreed that, the funds will be
shared thus, after it has been transferred into your account 1. 30% of the
money will go to you for acting as the beneficiary of the funds. 2. 10% will
be set aside for reimbursement to both parties for any incidental expenses
that may be incurred in the course of the transfer. 3. 60% to us the
originators of the transaction.

If this proposal is acceptable by you and you do not wish to take undue
advantage of the trust, we hope to bestow on you and your company, then
kindly get to me immediately via my private Email: johncyrus_99@msn.com for
security reason.

Furnishing me with your most confidential telephone, fax number and
exclusive bank particulars so that I can use this information to apply for
the release and subsequent transfer of the funds in your favor.Thank you in
advance for your anticipated co-operation.

Yours faithfully,

Mr.JOHN CYRUS


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