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: "CBN" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <benoakume@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Fri, 7 Jan 2011 05:00:15 -0800
Subject: First Quarter Payment of the year (2011)!!!

CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
TINUBU SQUARE, LAGOS.
CABLES CENBANK
TELEGRAM: CENBANK

From the desk of: Mr. Ben O. Akume,
Telex Department Director, C.B.N


YOUR OVER DUE INHERITANCE FUNDS

This is to notify you that your over due inheritance funds has been gazette to be released, via key telex transfer (KTT) -direct wire transfer to you or through any of our Correspondent bank nominated by the senate committee for foreign over due fund transfer. Meanwhile, a man came to my office few days ago with a letter, claiming to be your true representative. Here are his information’s:

BANK NAME: ALLSOUTH FEDEREL CREDIT UNION
BANK ADDRESS: 6923 NORTH TRENHOLM ROAD COLUMBIA, SC 29206, USA.
ROUTING NUMBER: 253279031
ACCOUNT NUMBER: 10822734
ACCOUNT NAME: GERALD M. HARMON

Please, do reconfirm to this office, as a matter of urgency if this man is from you so that the Federal Government will not be held responsible for paying into the wrong account name, if this man is not your representative, you are requested to fill and send this information’s for verifications purposes so that your fund valid US$10.5M United States Dollars will be remitted into your nominated bank account information.
This fund is as a result of inheritance on your behalf.

1. YOUR NAME:..............................
2. YOUR FULL ADDRESS:...................................
3. YOUR TELEPHONE ..................................
4. FAX...................................................
5. AGE......................................................
6. SEX:....................................
7. YOUR OCCUPATION:......................................
8. YOUR VALID BANK ACCOUNT DETAILS:...................................

As soon as we receive this, we will commence with all necessary procedures in other to remit this money into your account. The Central Bank Governor, Executive Board of Directors and The Senate Committee for Foreign over due inheritance fund has approved and accredited this reputable bank with the office of the Director, International Remittance / Foreign Operations, to handle and transfer all foreign inheritance funds this First Quarter Payment of the year (2011).
However, we shall proceed to issue all payments details to the said Mr. Gerald M. Harmon, if we do not hear from you within the next seven working days from today.

We are sorry for any inconvenience the delay in transferring of this fund must have caused you.

Best regards,

Mr. Ben O. Akume
Telex Department Director
Central Bank of Nigeria
Telephone: + 234-802-660-9742
Email: benoakume@yahoo.co.jp

Anti-fraud resources: