joewein.de LLC fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter! Free trial for 30 days

"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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.

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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "outstanding contractors" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
  • "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "WILLIAMS SMITH" <williamsmithmailoffice8@student.com>
Reply-To: williamsmithmailoffice@yahoo.fr
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2008 03:48:29 +0100
Subject: IMMEDIATE CONTRACT PAYMENT NOTIFICATION MAV/NNPC/FGN/MIN/007


CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
TINUBU SQUARE, VICTORIA ISLAND,
LAGOS-NIGERIA
[OFFICE OF DEPUTY GOVERNOR]

CONTRACT #: MAV/NNPC/FGN/MIN/007,
FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT

CENTRAL BANK NIGERIA
Our Ref: CBN/IRD/CBX/09801/07


IMMEDIATE CONTRACT PAYMENT NOTIFICATION MAV/NNPC/FGN/MIN/007

Dear Sir,

Following the protest of the International Community, The World Bank, IMF
and the instruction by

The President and Commander in Chief of the armed forces ( Mallam Musa
Ya'adua ) that outstanding foreign debts, should be released to the
beneficiaries forthwith unconditionally.


From the records of outstanding contractors due for payment with the
Government of Nigeria, all the duly approved contractors were all paid last
week; we are left with $17,5million

Consequently, my colleagues and Interantional remittance director are
willing to transfer the total amount into your account for subsequent
disbursement, since we as civil servants are prohibited by the Code of
Conduct Bureau (Civil Service Laws) from opening and/or operating foreign
accounts in our names.


Needless to say, the trust reposed in you at this juncture is enormous. In
return, we have agreed amongst ourselves to offer you 25% of the
transferred sum, 5% shall be set aside for any incidental expenses during
the course of this transaction, you will then be mandated to revert the
balance to us in due course.

You must however NOTE that this transaction is subject to the following
terms and conditions; our conviction of your transparent honesty and
diligence, that you must accord this transaction with utmost confidentiality
and secrecy.


1) Your full name.
2) Phone, fax and mobile
3) Company name, position and address.
4) Profession, age and marital status.
5) Copy of int'l passport, any valid ID card.

As soon as the info above are received, we will forward you the bank online
web page to set up an account free of charge and the funds will be credited
into your account and you can transfer to any account of your choice and
the account we will provide for you.


For us to consider you serious and start processing your payment reply to
this email.





YOURS SINCERELY,
DR. WILLIAM SMITH
CENTRAL BANK (CBN)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam