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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "jessica belo" <miss_belo1@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: jessica_bzb@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Thu, 07 Dec 2006 10:00:27 -0600
Subject: From: Jessica (need your response)

Dear Friend,

With warm heart I offer my greetings and also friendship, I hope this mai=
l=20
meets you in good health. However it=92s strange and surprising this cont=
act=20
might seem to you, because we have not met before either physically or=20
through correspondence. I humbly ask that you take due consideration of i=
t's=20
importance and immense benefit.

I am Jessica A. Bello, a bank branch manager (Zenith Bank). My bank has a=
=20
foreign customer who was a major Contractor with Nigerian National Petrol=
eum=20
Corporation (NNPC). He runs and maintain a corporate dollar account in my=
=20
branch bank, and also resident in Nigeria. I am his account custodian unt=
il=20
the time he met his death through an auto accident in the year 2004 along=
=20
with his family.

I=92m contacting you to assist in repatriating the money and property lef=
t=20
behind by this customer before they get confiscated or declared=20
unserviceable by the bank where this deposit was made. Particularly the=20
(Zenith Bank) where the deceased has an account valued at about 17.8 mill=
ion=20
dollars. Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives, I now=20
seek your consent to present you as the next of kin to the deceased since=
=20
you are from the same country with the deceased and also have the same la=
st=20
name so that the Proceeds of this account valued at 17.8 million dollars=20
will be paid to you. If you agree, we can discuss my percentage.

I know this is difficult to believe since scammers=92 uses our banks name=
and=20
addressee in collecting people=92s money in the name of inheritance, whic=
h=20
they know nothing about it. Believe me this is legitimate and I have all =
the=20
necessary legal documents that can be used to back up any claim we may ma=
ke.=20
All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us seeing this=20
transaction through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a=20
legitimate arrangement that will protect us from any breach of the law. Y=
our=20
urgent response will be highly appreciated.

Awaiting your response.

Best regards,
Jessica A. Bello
Bank Branch Manager (Zenith Bank)

_________________________________________________________________
Get the latest Windows Live Messenger 8.1 Beta version.=A0Join now.=20
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