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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: "Liu Yan" <liuyanbankofchina@gmx.com>
Reply-To: <liuyandirector@gmx.com>
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 2010 17:02:17 -0000
Subject: Re: Your Attention

FROM: Liu Yan
Bank of China Ltd.13/F.
Bank of China Tower
1 Garden Road
Hong Kong,

I sincerely ask for forgiveness for I know this may seem like a completeintrusion to your privacy
but right about now this is my best option ofcommunication. This mail might come to you as a
surprise and the temptation toignore it as frivolous could come into your mind, but please
consider it adivine wish and accept it with a deep sense of humilityThis letter must surprise you
because we have never meet before neither inperson nor by correspondence, but I believe that,
it takes just one day to meet orknow someone either physically or through correspondence.

I got your contact through my personal search, you were revealed as being quiteastute in
private entrepreneurship, and one has no doubt in your ability to handle a financial business
transaction. I am Mr. Liu Yan a transfer supervisoroperations in investment section in Bank of China Ltd.
Secretariat of the BOCHK Charitable Foundation 13/F. Bank of China Tower, 1 Garden Road,Hong Kong
I havean obscured business suggestion for you.Before the U.S and Iraqi war our client
General Mohammed Jassim Ali who work with the Iraqi forces and also business manmade a numbered
fixed deposit for 18 calendar months, with a value of (I willdisclose amount upon your reply) in my
branch.Upon maturity several notices was sent to him, even early in the war, againafter the war
another notification was sent and still no response came fromhim, We later found out that General
Mohammed Jassim Ali and his family had beenkilled during the war, in a bomb blast that hit their home.
After further investigation it was also discovered that General Mohammed JassimAli did not declare any
next of kin in his official papers including the paperwork of his bank deposit. And he also confided in me
the last time he was at myoffice that no one except me knew of his deposit in my bank. So,
(I willdisclose amount upon your reply) is still lying in my bank and no one will evercome forward to claim it.

What bothers me most is that, according to the laws ofmy country at the expiration of 3 years the funds
will be reverted to the ownership of the Hong Kong Government if nobody applies to claim the funds.
Against this backdrop, my suggestion to you is that I will like you as aforeigner to stand as the next of
kin to General Mohammed Jassim Ali so that youwill be able to receive his funds. I want you to know that,
I have had everythingplanned out for a successful outcome.I have contacted an attorney who will prepare
the legal documents that will authoriseand back you up as the next of kin to General Mohammed Jassim Ali,
all what isrequired of you at this stage is for you to provide me with your full Name,private phone number
and address so that the attorney can commence his job.After you have been made the next of kin, the
attorney will also file in forclaims on your behalf and secure the necessary approval and letter from the
probate in your favour for the transfer of the funds to an account that will be provided byyou with my
guidance. There is no risk involved at all in the matter as we aregoing to adopt a legalized method and
the attorney will prepare all the necessarydocuments.Please endeavour to observe utmost discretion in
all matters concerning this issue. Once the funds have been transferred to your nominated bank account
then we shalldiscuss the percentage issue on your reply.If you are interested please forward to me your full
name and current residentialaddress, and I will prefer you to reach me on my private and secure email
address below and finally after that I shall provide you with more details ofthis operation.

Best Regards
Liu Yan
Please reply to this email: liuyandirector@gmx.com

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