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: TUNDE USMAN <t3u31960e@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 6 Aug 2022 11:41:49 +0100
Subject: RE; NEXT OF KIN

I would have called you on the phone before sending this message but since
I do not have your phone number I decided to use your email address as an
option. I am sorry if sending this email has violated your privacy.
Meanwhile, here is a brief of my message:-
My name is Tunde Usman and I work at the Probate office where Wills are
registered. I was approached by a lawyer whose client died five years ago
to confirm to him the status of the WILL of his late client as regards to
his next of kin, he was a consultant.

In his record at the probate there is no next of kin and the fund deposited
by the consultant could not be released to the lawyer unless he presents a
next of kin. Since the late consultant is a foreigner, they are not
expecting anything less than another foreign to stand as his next of kin.
On this ground, we solicit that your name is used as the next of kin to
process the fund and send it to you. On receipt of the fund you shall be
entitled to 45% while the lawyer will have 45% and 10% will be mine.

I want you to consider this because the government shall at the end
confiscate the fund if they are put on notice that the deceased consultant
does not have a next of kin. In this regard, we are not violating any law
here or over there.
Confirm your full and phone number for a call by the lawyer for further
explanation.

Sincerely,
Tunde Usman
Probate Officer.

Anti-fraud resources: