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: "ZENITH BANK NIGERIA PLC." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <zenithbnk-online@admin.in.th>
Date: Tue, 6 Dec 2011 22:54:58 -0400
Subject: URGENT NOTIFICATION OF RELEASE OF YOUR PAYMENT...

ZENITH BANK PLC.
P.M.B: 749 ? FGN / ABJ Ref No.: FGN/ABJ/NG/01/08
Plot 84, Ajose Adeogun Street, Victoria Island Lagos, Nigeria..
E- mail: zenithbnk-online@admin.in.th
Fax: 234 (1) 61147500
Date:7/12/2011
 
ATTN:BENEFICIARY
 
BENEFICIARY OF FUNDS VALUED (US $14.500.00 MILLION) ONLY
 
RE - URGENT NOTIFICATION OF RELEASE OF YOUR PAYMENT
 
THIS IS TO INFORM YOU THAT A MAN CALLED MR.ROBERT WHITE FROM USA CAME TO OUR Bank TODAY CLAIMING TO BE FROM YOU, STATING THAT YOU ARE DEAD BUT
BEFORE YOUR DEATH YOU MADE HIM YOUR REPRESENTATIVE TO CLAIM YOUR ATM CARD/FUND VALUED US$14.500.00 ( Fourteen million five hundred United States
Dollars Only).
 
NOW HERE COMES THE BIG QUESTION, DID YOU SIGN ANY DEED OF ASSIGNMENT IN FAVOR OF MR. ROBERT WHITE THEREBY MAKING HIM THE CURRENT BENEFICIARY WITH
HIS FOLLOWING CONTACT DETAILS: (7121 EDGETON ST; DETROIT, MICHIGAN 48212-1905, USA.).
 
WE SHALL PROCEED TO ISSUE ALL PAYMENT RELEASE DETAILS TO THE SAID ROBERT WHITE, IF WE DO NOT HEAR FROM YOU WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WORKING DAYS FROM
TODAY. CONTACT ME BACK IMMEDIATELY THROUGH THIS PHONE NUMBER: +234-708-306-1395
 
THANKS FOR YOUR ANTICIPATED COOPERATION IN THIS REGARDS.
 
BEST REGARDS,
 
Mr.Jim Ovia.
Director Swift Wiring Department.

Anti-fraud resources: