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joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
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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:
- This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "farida waziri" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs.Farida Waziri" <info.financialcrimeofficeefcc@gmail.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: mrs.farida.wazirioffice@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 19 Jan 2010 10:58:06 -0700
Subject: Attention:Honourable Beneficiary and Happy New Year'
Presidential Committee On Foreign Payments
Foreign Remittance Department
Economic & Finacial Crime Commission {EFCC}NIGERIA
Attention:Honourable Beneficiary and Happy New Year'
Going by series of petition received from International Body on the way
your inheritance fund was handled by our correspondence office.After
Extensive close door meeting with Board of Directors and other Stake holders in
the
Government,Subcommittees of the House Of Assembly and the House of Rep ,
republic
of Nigeria.
It was Resolved and Agreed upon that your inheritance Fund would be
released on a special method of payment, which tag Name Reads TELEGRAPHIC
WIRE TRANSFER(TWT).This method of payment is designed by the Government to
avert fraud perpetration or stoppage of fund by Some Agencies.Either
Through Anti Terrorist Certificate or other certificates.This TELEGRAPHIC
WIRE TRANSFER would be issued to release your fund upon meeting with the
Bank Requirement.This office, has Been Mandated to take charge of the
Issuance of the FUND.And that your inheritance payment file should be
passed to my desk for clarification.
Upon Certification that your file is ok.This Office would Direct you on
how to receive your over Due inheritance fund via TELEGRAPHIC WIRE
TRANSFER(TWT).The FUND would be release to your respected bank account
accordingly via (twt). In the light of this aforementioned, You are
required to furnish this office with the following information.
Your Name.
Address.
Median Name.
Your Next of Kin Name and your date of Birth.
Your telephone number and fax.
This Information's would be used in complection of your fund release to
your bank account with due respect. Upon completion and confirmations of
the above details to be sure that we are dealing with the right person and
owner to the fund to avoid miss transfer of fund to the wrong person for
security reasons.
Urgently furnish this office with your Contact information in order to
reconfirm if it's in line with the one contained in our payment data. Be
informed that your fund has been called back and it's now in a suspense
Account here in Our Bank.
A new Account has to be opened in your Name Before The fund is issued.
Waiting for an urgent response.
Yours Faithfully
Mrs.Farida Waziri.
TELEGRAPHIC WIRE TRANSFER Payment System
Presidential Committee On Foreign Payments
Foreign Remittance Department
Economic & Finacial Crime Commission {EFCC}NIGERIA
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