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

Fraud email example:

From: "=?utf-8?q?Int.BankServices=20Int.Bank?=" <iint.bankservices@yahoo.com.co>
Reply-To: uzorcole@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Thu, 7 Aug 2008 01:52:29 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Int.BankServices


¡Tengo nueva dirección de correo!Ahora puedes escribirme a:iint.bankservices@yahoo.com.co

Int.BankServices Int.Bank

- COMPLIMENTS OF THE DAY TO YOU.I AM MR. UZOR COLE THE AUDITING MANAGER INTERBANK SERVICES LONDON, I AM WRITING THIS LETTER TO ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND CO-OPERATION TO CARRY OUT THIS BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY IN MY DEPARTMENT.WE DISCOVERED AN ABANDONED SUM OF (FIFTEEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY) IN AN ACCOUNT THAT BELONGS TO ONE OF OUR FOREIGN CUSTOMERS WHO DIED ALONG WITH HIS ENTIRE FAMILY IN AN AIR CRASH, ALASKA AIRLINE FLIGHT 261 IN 2000.SINCE WE HEARD OF HIS DEATH,NOBODY HAS COME FOR ANY CLAIMS AS NOBODY KNEW OF THE ACCOUNT. THE NAME OF OUR LATE CUSTOMER IS MR. MORRIS THOMPSON, HIS WIFE'S NAME THELMA THOMPSON, DAUGHTER'S NAME SHERYL THOMPSON,THE OWNER OF DOYON LTD, IN ALASKA.http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/02/01/alaska.airlines.list WE HAVE BEEN EXPECTING HIS NEXT OF KIN TO COME OVER AND FILE FOR CLAIMS FOR HIS MONEY AS THE HEIR, BECAUSE WE CANNOT RELEASE THE FUNDS FROM HIS ACCOUNT UNLESS SOMEONE APPLIES FOR CLAIM AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASED AS INDICATED IN OUR BANKING GUIDELINES AND THAT IS THE REASON WHY I HAVE CONTACTED YOU TO ACT AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO COMMENCE THIS TRANSACTION, WE 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 US FILE LETTER OF CLAIM TO THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENT FOR NECESSARY APPROVALS BEFORE THE TRANSFER CAN BE MADE.I LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE.REGARDS MR. UZOR COLE AUDIT DEPARTMENT


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