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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: "Dr. drik Van" <vdr.drik74@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 28 Jul 2010 07:19:33 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Urgent Attention????












Dear Sir/Madam,
 
Greetings from Dr. Drik Van, please do not be perplexed with this note. The letter is not intended to cause you any embarrassment in whatever form (hence not an unsolicited mail), but to rather contact your esteemed dignified personnel after following your knowledge of high repute and trustworthiness. I will first introduce myself as Dr. Drik Van, a staff in the audit section of a well-known bank, Alpha Bank here in London, England.
 
 
One of our accounts, with holding balance of £26,000,000 (Twenty Six Million Pounds Sterling) has been dormant and last operated three years ago. From my investigations and confirmation, the owner of the said account, a foreigner by name John Shumejda died on the 4th of January 2002 in a plane crash in Birmingham; you can view this CNN website:(http://edition.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/europe/01/04/england.plane/) for details on the crash. Since then, nobody has done anything as regards the claiming of this money, as he has no family member that has any knowledge as to the existence of either the account or the funds; and also information from the National Immigration also states that he was single on entry into the UK.
 
After detailed investigations on the deceased and his account, I found out there is no mention of any heirs or family member on the account document in the Bank records, therefore the money was lodged secretly into the account.Plans are to transfer the fund out with you sincerely help.This transaction is totally free of risk and troubles free as the fund is legitimate and does not originate from drug, money laundry, terrorism or any other illegal act. On your interest,
 
let me hear from you urgently My private e-mail
address:vdr.drik@yahoo.com
 
PHONE:+44 70457 87339
FAX : +44-(0)177-611-4947
 
Warm Regards,
Dr. Drik Van.




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