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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: "David Wu" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <davidwu1e@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 24 Nov 2010 08:34:45 +0100
Subject: Business Relationship

FROM THE DESK OF: DAVID WU
Email: davidwu1e@gmail.com
Davidwu1a@netcitycn.com
Date: 23rd,November 2010

I am David Wu, Deputy Manager for the China Trust Commercial Bank, China. I am getting in touch with you
regarding the estate of a deceased client, and an investment placed under our banks management 9 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; Alfred Abbott came to our bank to engage in business
discussions with our private banking division. He informed us that he had a financial portfolio of Eighteen
Million, Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand 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 over Two Million. In mid 2002, he
instructed that the principal sum Eighteen Million, Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars,
be liquidated because he needed to make an urgent investment requiring cash payments in Hong Kong.

We got in touch with the Kincheng Banking Corporation which is a specialist bank in China, and has now
been merged with the Bank of China, with a foreign representative branch in Hong Kong who agreed to
receive this money for a fee and make cash available to Alfred.

However, Bank of China got in touch with us last year that this money has not been claimed. On further
enquiries we found out that Alfred was involved in an accident in Mainland China, which means he died
Interstate. On further investigation we found out that Late Alfred left behind no next of kin and this is the
reason I am writing you.

What I propose is that since I have exclusive access to his file, and I can make you 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 Bank of China 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 your assistance I propose that we split the money in half. In the banking cirle 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, as time goes on I shall furnish you with my telephone number, so you can also
reach me by phone. My spoken English is not too good, but you should be able to understand me.

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, because 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 if you accept my proposal respond back to me immediately via the above
email.

I await your positive response.

David Wu

STATEMENT OF CONFIDENTIALITY;
The information contained in this electronic message and any attachments may contain confidential or
privileged information intended for the exclusive use of the addressee(s). If you are not the intended
recipient, please notify the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message and any
attachments. In accordance with Electronic Communications Privacy Act,18 U.S.C.§§ 2510-2521

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