joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
 Free trial for 30 days
   jwSpamSpy
Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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: "Barr. Laura Mark (LLB)" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <laura_mark@icumail.xyz>
Date: Wed, 23 Jun 2021 12:57:59 +0200
Subject: VERY URGENT211

Hello Dear,
 
I have contacted you to assist in distributing the money left by my client before it's confiscated or declared un-serviceable by the bank where this deposit valued US$48,350,000.00 (Forty Eight Million, Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Great British Pounds Sterling) This Bank has issued me a notice to contact the next of kin, or the account will be confiscated.
 
My preposition to you is to seek your consent to present you as the next of kin and beneficiary of my named client, since you have same last name, so that the proceed of this account can be paid to you. Then we can share the amount on a mutual agreed -upon percentage. All Legal documents to back up your claim as my client's next of kin will be provided. All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see this transaction through.
 
This will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. If this business proposition offends your moral values, do accept my apology. I must use this opportunity to implore you to exercise an utmost indulgence to keep this matter extraordinary confidential whatever your decisions, while I awaits your prompt response.
 
Yours in Service,
 
Barr. Laura Mark (LLB)
Accredited Specialist Lawyer
Barrister and Solicitor (Holland 1983
Solicitor (England 1996)
( laura_mark@icumail.xyz )

Anti-fraud resources: