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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: "Johnson Sandals" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <johnsonsandals@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 11 Nov 2017 04:04:02 -0800
Subject: Attn: Please Treat As Urgent


Dear Partner,

I write in good faith and trust that you will take a moment to consider the contents of this letter. I am Johnson Sandals, Head of Internal Audits of a Financial Institution in the United Kingdom. While performing my Official Duty, I discovered the sum of US$14,300,000 (Fourteen Million Three Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) floating in an account opened in 1999, which belongs to one of our clients, who died in 2007. Every effort made to track any member of his family has since failed because the deceased died leaving no heir or a will in his file.

I will use my office to facilitate the transfer of the above sum to a safe account overseas. I want to propose that you partner with me and stand in as the next of kin. You will be required to provide an existing account or set up a new account that will serve the purpose of receiving this fund. I will compensate you with 30% of the funds after the transaction.

The account has not been operated since he died in 2007 and nobody has come forward for this claim, hence the funds has been floating. This information I have on this account is confidential as no other person has access to it. If the funds are not remitted urgently, it would be forfeited and subsequently converted to company's funds which will benefit the company’s shareholders only. With my assistance the fund will be legally approved to you with all the necessary documents and approvals in your name. However, I will be behind the scene to guide you on how to apply for the funds.

Please respond through my direct Private email. As soon as I receive your response, I will send you more detail. I completely trust you to keep this information absolutely private because of my position in the Office. I look forward to your prompt response.

Best Regards,
Johnson Sandals.

Head of Internal Audit

Anti-fraud resources: