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: ugo_ben101@yahoo.co.in
Date: Sun, 23 Apr 2006 12:05:30 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: God Bless You?

-----------------------------------------------------------
Use http://www.mail-filter.com to protect your email address
Block spam by keeping your email address secret and private.
-----------------------------------------------------------

WEMA BANK PLC,

LAGOS NIGERING

Direct.

DEAR SIR/Ma,



STRICTLY A PRIVATE BUSINESS PROPOSAL.



I AM BARRISTER UGO BEN, THE MANAGER, BILLS AND EXCHANGE AT THE FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT OF THE WEMA BANK PLC I AM WRITING THIS LETTER TO ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND COOPERATION TO CARRY OUT THIS BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY IN

MY DEPARTMENT.



WE DISCOVERED AN ABANDONED SUM OF $15,000,000.00 (FIFTEEN MILLION

UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY) IN AN ACCOUNT THAT BELONGS TO ONE OF OUR FOREIGN CUSTOMERS WHO DIED ALONG WITH HIS ENTIRE FAMILY OF A WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN IN NOVEMBER! 1997 IN A CAR ACCIDENT ALONG LAGOS\SHAGAMU EXPRESS. SINCE WE HEARD OF HIS DEATH, WE HAVE BEEN EXPECTING HIS NEXT-OF-KIN TO COME OVER AND PUT CLAIMS FOR HIS MONEY AS THE HEIR,BECAUSE WE CANNOT RELEASE THE FUND FROM HIS ACCOUNT UNLESS SOMEONE APPLIES FOR CLAIM AS THE NEXT-OF-KIN TO THE DECEASED AS INDICATED IN OUR BANKING GUIDELINES.



UNFORTUNATELY, NEITHER THEIR FAMILY MEMBER NOR DISTANT RELATIVE HAS

EVER APPEARED TO CLAIM THE SAID FUND.



UPON THIS DISCOVERY,I SOLICIT TO MAKE BUSINESS WITH YOU SO THAT THE

BANK WILL RELEASE THE TOTAL AMOUNT INTO YOUR ACCOUNT AS THE HEIR OF THE

FUND SINCE NO ONE CAME FOR IT OR DISCOVERED HE MAINTAINED ACCOUNT WITH

OUR BANK, OTHERWISE THE FUND WILL BE RETURNED TO THE BANKS TREASURY AS

UNCLAIMED FUND.



ON SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSSION OF THE DEAL OUR RATIO OF SHARING WILL B! E AS

STATED THUS;

35 % FOR YOU AS FOREIGN PARTNER,

60 % FOR US THE OFFICIALS IN MY DEPARTMENT AND

5% FOR THE SETTLEMENT OF ALL LOCAL AND FOREIGN

EXPENCES INCURRED BY ME AND YOU DURING THE COURSE OF THIS BUSINESS.

UPON THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THIS TRANSFER, I WILL COME TO YOUR

COUNTRY AND MIND MY SHARE. FROM MY 60 % I INTEND TO IMPORT AGRICULTURAL

MACHINERIES INTO MY COUNTRY AS A WAY OF RECYCLING THE FUND.



TO COMMENCE THIS TRANSACTION, I REQUIRE YOU TO IMMEDIATELY INDICATE

YOUR INTEREST BY A RETURN E-MAIL AND ENCLOSE YOUR PRIVATE CONTACT

TELEPHONE NUMBER, FAX NUMBER FULL NAME AND ADDRESS AND YOUR DESIGNATED BANK

COORDINATES TO ENABLE ME FILE LETTER OF CLAIM TO THE APPROPRIATE

DEPARTMENTS FOR NECESSARY APPROVALS BEFORE THE TRANSFER CAN BE MADE.



NOTE ALSO, THIS TRANSACTIO! N MUST BE KEPT STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL

BECAUSE OF IT'S NATURE.



I LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE.



REGARDS,

BARRISTER UGO BEN

WEMA BANK PLC.




Anti-fraud resources: