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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: " Mike Watts" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <barrmikewatts@centrum.cz>
Date: Thu, 21 May 2015 11:35:32 -0700
Subject: URGENT INFORMATION FOR YOU

 
Barrister Mike Watts (Advocate at law)
Carr? No 48 St. Maria
01 B.P 777 Cotonou, Republic Du Benin
Tel : +229 643-663-12
Attention :,
I am Barrister Mike Watts, Private attorney to Late Mr .Jerome ,a national of your country, who used to work as a Managing Director of TOTAL (Oil Company) in Republic of Benin . On the Thursday, 25 December, 2003, 22:53 GMT , Mr Jerome my client, his wife and their two children were involved in a Plane Crash along Airport Sea, as confirmed by a medical specialist.
Since then I have made several inquiries to your foreign authorities to locate any member of his family so that they can take his corps back to your country for a befitting burial and to claim his access here in Benin Republic, but all efforts to locate any of his extended relative was all in vain, and his corps was later buried here in Benin, at the national cemetery.
After  these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to track His last name over the Internet, to locate any member of his Family hence I contacted you. I have contacted you to assist in Repatriating some access (money) left  behind by Mr Jerome before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the Bank International here in Republic of Benin. Click the website and view the Plane crash.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/photo_gallery/3348445.stm
These huge deposits were lodged with " Bank International" where Mr Jerome had an account valued at about 7.9 US million dollars (Seven Million Nine Hundred Thousand United States Dollars). Since I have been unsuccessful in Locating the relatives for over (12) Twelve years Now, The Bank has issued me a notice to provide the  relatives of Mr Jerome, for repatriation of the money or have the account closed down and the money confiscated.
Now I seek your consent to present you as the NEXT OF KIN of Mr Jerome, since you have the same surname, so that the proceeds of this account valued at 7.9 US million dollars can be paid to your account or to your family account in your country or any where you wish, all i request is 20% of the total sum. All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us seeing this noble claim through.
To avoid eye brow and to mark the success of this transfer, both of us must agree to keep this transaction between both of us. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. I want you to send your mobile telephone number and a Copy of your International Passport to facilitate oral communication.
 
Best Regards
Barrister Mike Watts,
Advocate at law and legal Solicitor's
 

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