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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: "Mr. Lambert Smith" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <lambertsmith011@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 6 Aug 2019 16:39:59 +0100
Subject: Re: Thank You.

Good Day

I understand that This letter must come to you as a surprise, but i believe it is only a day that people meet that they can become great friends and business partners. i am Lambert Smith currently branch manager with a reputable

bank here in Ghana. i write you this proposal in good faith, believing that i can trust you with the information i am about to reveal to you. i have an urgent and very confidential business proposition for you. on march 1st, 2006, a

property consultant and importer of used cars, Mr. Rubin Ahmad Duque made (fixed) deposit for twenty four calendar months, valued at $5.5m(USD) (Five million five hundred thousand United States Dollars) in my branch and i

happen to be his account officer before i was moved to my present position recently. it was to my utter surprise that Mr. Rubin was among the death victims in may 26 2006 earthquake disaster in Jawa, Indonesia that killed over

5,000 people. he was in Indonesia on a business trip and that was how he met his end.

Upon the maturity in 2008, as his account officer, it is my duty to notify him on the maturity date so i sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but the letter was returned undelivered. after sometime, i tried sending back the

letter, but it was again returned and finally i discovered from his contract employers, that Mr. Rubin was as a victim of above mentioned may 26 2006 earthquake disaster in Jawa, Indonesia and was the reason why he did not declare

any next of kin or relation in all his official documents, including his bank deposit paperwork in my bank and did not leave any will. this sum of $5.5m(USD) have been floating and placed under dormant/un-serviceable account by my

bank management since no one have heard from the owner since 2008. i wish to let you know that all the investigation I have made so far, my bank management is not aware of it; i am the only one that have the information.

with the change of government in my country and with their efforts to support the united nations in checkmating terrorism aid in the Africa, , the government will soon pass a new financial control law which will give the government

authority to interrogate account owners of above $2,000,000.00 (USD) to explain the source of the funds, making sure it is not for terrorism support. if i do not move this money out of the country immediately, before the stipulated

period the government will definitely confiscate the money, because my bank cannot provide the account owner to explain the source of the money. i cannot directly transfer out this money without the help of a foreigner that will stand

as the next of kin or of late Mr. Rubin and that is why i am contacting you for assistance. as the account officer to late Mr. Rubin coupled with my present position and status in the bank as a branch manager now, i have the power

to influence the release of the funds to any foreigner that comes up

Therefore, I will not fail to inform you that this transaction is 100% risk free. On smooth conclusion of this transaction, you will be entitled to 30% of the total sum as gratification, while 10% will be set aside to take care of expenses

that may arise during the process of transfer and also telephone bills, while 60% will be for me and some colleges involved. All that is require from you is your honest co-operation to enable us see this transaction through.

1)full name...............
2)phone number............
3)email address.............
4)contact address.........

Treat with utmost confidentiality.

I shall send you a copy of the depository agreement certificate issued to Mr. Rubin when the deposit was made for your perusal. I believe a transaction of this nature requires us knowing each other well before we can proceed, on

that I will scan my official identification to you, and if there are other information you wish to know about me i will be very obliged to release them to you without hesitation.

Regards
Lambert Smith

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