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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: "FRED GODWIN" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <drfredgodwin400@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 16 Dec 2010 13:05:51 -0800
Subject: AUDITOR DIRECTOR OF NATWEST BANK LONDON

GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
FOREIGN & DOMESTIC OPERATIONS
Nat West (National Westminster Bank)
41 Lothbury London,
EC2P2BP United Kingdom
TEL: +44-70240-14507
TEL: +44-70240-88729
TEL: +44-70240-80718
FAX: +44-70060-29300



ATTENTION SIR/ MADAM

Compliment of the new season, I know that this mail shall come to you as a surprise, I got your contact through the business men directory. I am the audit director with The NATWEST BANK LONDON. I Hoped with all sincerity that you will Not Expose or Betray this trust and
Confidence that I am about to repose on you for the Mutual benefit of our both families. I need your urgent assistance in transferring the sum of ($6.5Million United state dollars) immediately to your account. The money has been dormant for years in our Bank Here with out any body coming for it and I want to the bank to release the money to you as the nearest person to our deceased Customer (the owner of the account) who died a long with his supposed Next of Kin in an air crash Since July 2000.

I don't, want the money to go into our Bank treasury as an abandoned fund and that is the reason why I contacted you, so that the bank can release this Funds To you as the nearest person to the deceased customer and Please I would like you to keep this proposal as a top secret and delete if You are not interested.

Upon receipt of your reply, I shall send you full details on how the business shall Be executed and also note that you will have 40% of the above mentioned Sum If you agree to transact the business with me. I am waiting for your urgent Response so that we can start immediately, I REQUIRE THE
FOLLOWING FROM YOU,

YOUR FULL CONTACT ADDRESS,
YOUR OCCUPATION,
YOUR AGE,
YOUR DIRECT TELEPHONE NUMBER,
YOUR BANKING INFORMATION,
ANY MEANS OF IDENTIFICATION

I await your urgent response to this email

Best Regards,
Dr. Fred GODWIN

Anti-fraud resources: