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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: Mark Desmond <markdesmond579@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 3 Jul 2022 01:47:29 +0100
Subject: BUSINESS PROPOSAL

Dear friend

I offer my hand of friendship and believe you will accept me with good
heart, I saw your email and was pushed to contact you and see how best we
can assist each other. I am Mr. Richard Paolo Santiago, A banker by
profession working in Banco De Oro Philippines. I am having an important
business discussion I wish to share with you which I believe will interest
you because it is in connection with your state in your country and we
both are going to benefit from it.

One Late Mr. Benson, a citizen of your country who was in Gold Business and
he was an importer and exporter of both new and old cars, trucks mainly
from Germany, USA and Japan, and also a business consultant with Shell
company here in the Philippines has a fixed deposit with my bank in 2005,
valued at US$ 8,500,000.00 (Eight Million Five Hundred Thousand United
State Dollars) the due date for this deposit was the last 22nd of January
2017. Sadly Benson was among the victims in the recent Air_Crash from Dubai
to Russia.

Late Mr Benson did not mention any Next of Kin/ Heir when the account was
opened, and Mr. Benson was not married and had no children. Recently, my
Bank Management requested that I should give instructions on what to do
about his funds if he renews the contract. I know this will happen and that
is why I have been looking for a means to handle the situation, because if
my Bank Directors happen to know that Benson is dead and do not have any
Heir, they will take the funds for their personal use, so I don't want such
to happen. That was why when I saw your email I was happy that you are
from the same state and I am now seeking your cooperation to present you as
Next of Kin/ Heir to the account since you have the same dialect with him
and my bank headquarters will release the account to you.

I shall perfect all legal documents in your names to make you the
beneficiary to the funds, there is no risk involved; the transaction will
be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you and me
from any breach of law. It is better that we claim the money than allow the
Bank Directors to take it, so I am suggesting we share the funds equally,
50/50% to both parties.

Let me know your opinion on this and please treat this information as
confidential and do well to respond here for security purposes. Keep and
treat as the top-secret to avoid intruders. I have more to write to you
about the details once I receive your urgent response strictly through this
email

richardpaolosantiago4@gmail.com

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