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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: "Michael Kuhn" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <michkuhns33@googlemail.com>
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 2010 00:31:35 +0200
Subject: Your outstanding payment.

Michael Kuhn
Finance Department Director
International Monetary Fund. IMF


Attn: Beneficiary,


I found your name in the Central Computer among the list of unpaid (Contractors, Inheritance next of kin and lotto beneficiaries that was originated from American, Europe, Asia plus Middle east and Africans) among the list of individuals and companies that your unpaid fund has been located to the Standard Chartered Bank, HSBC, Barclays Bank, Natwest Bank, Bank of America, Eco Bank Nigeria plc and CBN Plus ATM payment. Your name appeared among the beneficiaries who will receive a part-payment of US$15.5 million and has been approved already for months. You are requested to get back to me for more direction and instruction on how to receive your fund.

However, we received an email from one Dr. Robert Walter who told us that he is your next of kin and that you died in a car accident last week.

Dr Robert Walter account co-ordinate as follows:

Bank of Lebanon

A/c no: 890458984589

Routing No: bl 275-79665

Aba no: BL-ANAJFG-FL

Beneficiary: Dr Robert Water

He has also submitted his account for us to transfer the fund to him. We want to hear from you before we can make the transfer to confirm if you are dead or not. Once again, I apologize to you on behalf Of IMF (International Monetary Fund) http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/memdir/officers.htm failure to receive your funds in time, which according to records in the system had been long overdue.

Kindly re-confirm these information bellow for immediate release of your funds if the instruction of the changes is not from you.

A. Your Full Name
B. Your Private Telephone and Fax numbers
C. Your full home or office address
D. Copy of your identification



Yours Sincerely,

Michael Kuhn

Finance Department Director

International Monetary Fund. IMF

Anti-fraud resources: