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: "Peter Brown" <brown454@msn.com>
Date: Fri, 10 Feb 2006 13:53:34 +0000
Subject: How are you/reply soon

Assistance of Mr. Irvin Poot needed

Dear Friend,
 
I am Mr. Peter brown of Investment Banking, Zenith bank intl. Coutonou of Benin Republic . On July 6, 2003, our client Mr. Irvin Poot, a businessman, made a numbered fixed deposit for 12 (Twelve) calendar months, with a value of US$12.5m only in my branch. Upon maturity several notice was sent to him and no response came from him. Another notification was sent early September and still no response came from him. The Bank officially sent two-man delegate to his residence in Malaysia were he reside only to find out that the business mogul and his family perished in the Tsunami disaster.

After further investigations, it was also discovered that Mr. Irvin Poot did not declare any next of kin in his official papers, including the paper work of his bank deposit. And he also confided in me the last time he visited my office that no one except me knew of his deposit in my bank. So, Twelve million, Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollars is still lying in my bank and no one will ever come forward to claim it.

According to the laws of my country, at the expiration of one year (1 year) the funds will revert to the ownership of Benin du Republic Government if nobody applies to claim the funds. I will like you as a foreigner to stand as the next of kin to Mr. Irvin Poot to enable you receive the funds. Lets put heads together to see how we can transfer these funds out of Benin Republic and use it judiciously. I have contacted an Attorney that will prepare the necessary document that will back you up as the next of kin to Mr. Irvin Poot, all that is require from you at this stage is for you to provide me with your full names and Address including your direct phone and fax numbers for my Attorney to commence his job.

My Attorney will also file in for  a claims on your behalf and secure the necessary approval and letter of probate in your favor for the funds to be move to an account that will be provided by you. We are going to adopt a legalized method and the Attorney will prepare all the necessary documents and no risk involve.

Note that sharing percentage is negotiable by the two parties. Contact me on this email address with your full names, address, fax and telephone number to:
 
peterbrown_zenithbankcot@caramail.com or peterbrown1@caramail.com  if you are interested and more details will be provided to you about the Project.

Sincerely, Peter Brown.


Planning a trip for Spring Break? See the area before you go

Anti-fraud resources: