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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: "Karl Su" <karlsu3@web2mail.com>
Reply-To: karlsu0021@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Thu, 13 May 2010 07:19:53 -0400
Subject: Assurance



I am Karl Su, Principal Assurance manager for the Huxia Bank in China.
I am contacting you in regards to an issue of great importance and an
investment placed under our banks management 7 years ago. I would
respectfully request that you keep the contents of this mail
confidential and respect the integrity of the information you come by
as a result of this mail. I contact you independently and no one is
informed of this communication.In 2000, the subject matter; came to
our bank to engage in business discussions with our private banking
division.


He informed us that he had a financial portfolio of 8.35 million
United States dollars, which he wished to have us invest on his
behalf. Based on my advice, we spun the money around various
opportunities and made attractive margins for our first months of
operation, the accrued profit and interest stood at this point at over
10 million United States Dollars. In mid 2002, he instructed that the
principal sum (8.35M) be liquidated because he needed to make an
urgent investment requiring cash payments in Hong Kong and China. We
got in touch with a specialist bank in China, the Guangdong
Development Bank (GDB) who agreed to receive this money for a fee and
make cash available. However Guangdong Development Bank got in touch
with us last year that this money has not been claimed. On further
enquiries we found out that the subject matter was involved in an
accident in Mainland China, which means he died intestate. He has no
next of kin.

What I propose is that since I have exclusive access to his file, you
will be made the beneficiary of these funds. My bank will contact you
informing you that money has been willed to you. On verification,
which will be the details I make available to my bank, my bank will
instruct GDB to make payments to you. You do not have to have known
him. I know this might be a bit heavy for you but please trust me on
this. For all your troubles I propose that we split the money in half.
In the banking circle this happens every time. The other option is
that the money will revert back to the state. Nobody is getting hurt;
this is a lifetime opportunity for us. I hold the KEY to these funds,
and as a Chinese National we see so much cash and funds being
re-assigned daily. I would want us to keep communication for now
strictly by email. Please, again, note I am a family man; I have a
wife and children. I send you this mail not without a measure of fear
as to the consequences, but I know within me that nothing ventured is
nothing gained and that success and riches never come easy or on a
platter of gold. This is the one truth I have learned from my private
banking clients. Do not betray my confidence. If we can be of one
accord, we should act swiftly on this. Please pardon my writing
mistakes. Please get back to me immediately.

I await your response.
Karl Su



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