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: "Vlado Cherekez." <vlado1950@zwallet.com>
Reply-To: vlado1950@netscape.net
Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 17:00:44 +0100
Subject: PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGED THIS MAIL.


Mr.Vlado Cherkez.
Central Bank of SCG
K.Aleksandra 124-126
Belgrade 11000
SCG (ex YU).
Dear Friend,
I cant imagine how you will feel receiving a sudden business letter from a
remote country in far away SCG (ex YU) and probably from someone you are not
closely related with. But all the same, I believe we do not need to be of
blood relatives before we can establish cordial/business relationship.
Having said this,I think it is very important at this juncture to introduce
myself to you.
I am Mr.Vlado Cherkez, Head: Enterprise Wide Risk and member of the
executive and risk committees of Central Bank,SCG.I got your email
address from the Internet.This is an urgent and very confidential business
proposition.
On June 6, 2000,a Foreign Oil consultant/contractor with the SCG (ex YU),
Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Mr.Williams Smith made a numbered
time(Fixed) Deposit for twelve calendar months, valued at
US$26,500,000.00,(Twenty-six Million, five hundred thousand Dollars).Upon
maturity,I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but got no
reply. After a month,we sent a reminder and finally we discovered from his
contract employers, the National Petroleum Corporation that Mr.Williams
Smith died from an automobile accident. On further investigation,I found
out that he died without making a "WILL",and all attempts to trace his next
of kin was fruitless.
I therefore made further investigation and discovered that Mr.Williams
Smith did not declare any kin or relations in all his official
documents,including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank.
This sum of US$26,500,000.00 has carefully been fixed in my bank for
safekeeping.No one will ever come forwardtoclaim it.
According to SCG Law, at the expiration of 5 (five) years, the
money will revert to the ownership of the Government if nobody applies to
claim the fund.Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as a
Foreigner to stand in as the owner of the money which was fixed deposited in
my bank. I am writing you because I as a public servant,i cannot operate a
foreign account.
I want to present you as the owner of the funds so you can be able to claim
them with the help of my attorney. This is simple.I will like you to provide
immediately your full names and address so that the Attorney will prepare
the necessary documents which will put you in place as the beneficiary
of the funds. The money will be moved out for us to share
In the ratio of 70% for me and 30% for you. The paperwork for this
transaction will be done by the Attorney If you are interested, please reply
immediately via my email address and Upon your response,I shall then provide
you with more details that will help you understand the transaction.
Please observe utmost confidentiality, and be rest assured that this
transaction would be most profitable for both of us because I shall require
your assistance to invest my share in real estate within your country.
Due to the nature of confidentiality in this Transaction our
communication can only be via email and fax mostly.
Awaiting your urgent reply via email.
Thanks and my regards.
Mr.Vlado Cherkez.
PLEASE RESPOND TO MY PRIVATE EMAIL:
vlado1950@netscape.net

Anti-fraud resources: