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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: "MR HOWARD MYERS" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <howardmyers.lloyds@mail.ru>
Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2015 20:28:16 -0700
Subject: COMMITTEE ON INHERITANCE SETTLEMENT APPROVED

I am Mr.Howard Myers, The Senior Internal Auditor Controller at Lloyds Bank of London, England.
On the Month of January 2014 last year, My Bank committee on Inheritance settlement approved and disbursed over £100,000,000 Pounds to foreign Heirs of Late depositors funds in my Bank all over United Kingdom.
This payment to beneficiaries were successful and payment done legitimately through since last year to this present day of year 2015.This shows that beneficiaries whose relations died and left over monies in their accounts in our Bank has been paid. But there is still a single remaining unclaimed Fund worth £3,500,000.00 Million Pounds sterling outstanding in my bank office files never claimed. I have checked all files and investigated this payment and found that no body is coming to claim this remaining fund worth £3,500,000.00 million pounds.
All our investigation to get to the relations of this fund payment is not fruitful and if this fund is unclaimed before the end of October 2015, my Bank will revert the Fund to the UK Government revenue Account. I am contacting you to cooperate with me as a foreigner to claim this Fund now from my Bank.
I will replace your name as the Heir of the Money and file for payment approval of £3,500,000 Million pounds. My Bank will release this payment to you as soon as I provide them with your information’s myself. Please don’t disclose this transaction to a third party for security reasons.
Send me your Information's as shown below:-
Your Full Names; Your Complete Address, Your Telephone/Mobile Number; Age, Sex Etc.
I await your response.
Best Regards,
Howard Myers
Senior Internal Auditor Controller at Lloyds Bank
Lloyds Bank of London

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