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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:

Fraud email example:

From: "DR. AMATA MICHAEL" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ecobankwesternunion@abv.bg>
Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:16:35 +0200
Subject: ECOBANK PLC, DEPT OF WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER

ECOBANK PLC, DEPT OF WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER.
LAGOS NIGERIA/ADDRESS 455 AGBOKOU,ANKPA ROAD OFF
GENERAL GOWON AVENUE VICTORIA ISLAND LAGOS.
CALL US ON +2347081358151.

ATTN: Beneficiary,

PLEASE YOU ARE ADVISE TO GO TROUGH THIS EMAIL CAREFULLY AND MAKE SURE
YOU UNDERSTAND AND READY TO COMPLY WITH THE CONTENTS BEFORE REPLYING
TO IT. WE ARE INSTRUCTED BY JULIUS BERGER MULTI-NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION
COMPANY ON THEIR AWARD WINNING TO UNITED STATE, ASIA AND EUROPEAN
CITIZEN WHO ARE TO RECEIVE THE BELOW MENTIONED AMOUNT, SO YOUR NAME
HAPPEN TO BE IN THE LIST OF BENEFICIARIES. SO YOU WILL BE RECIEVING
USD$2.5 million (Two million Five Hundred thousand United States
Dollars) FROM THIS DEPARTMENT OF ECOBANK (WESTERN UNION MONEY
TRANSFER), YOU WILL BE RECEIVING USD$20,000.00 SLITTED INTO FIVE DAILY
ON THE INSTALLMENT OF USD$4,000.00 PER CASHED AT ANY WESTERN UNION
OUTLET UNTILL IT COMPLETE THE CORRECT AMOUNT (USD$2.5 million). SO
THAT MEANS YOU WILL BE RECEIVING FIVE (5) MTCN NUMBER PER DAY,
USD$4,000.00 INTO FIVE THAT'S USD$20,000.00 PER DAY.

MEANWHILE YOU ARE REQUIRE TO BE SENDING US THE TRANSFER CHARGES, THAT
IS IF YOU SEND US TRANSFER CHARGES WE WILL RELEASE YOUR INFORMATION TO
PICK UP YOUR FUND AND WHEN YOU'VE RECEIVED THE FUND, YOU WILL SEND US
THE TRANSFER CHARGES OF NEXT DAY TRANSFER THEN WE RELEASE THE NEXT DAY
PICK UP INFORMATION. BECAUSE WE ARE GIVEN ONLY ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY
BUSINESS DAYS (150 DAYS) TO GET THE TRANSFER COMPLETED VIA OUR SERVICE
AND SUBMIT TRANSFER SLIP TO THEM AT THE END OF THE TRANSFER.

It became imperative to contact you on the subject matter because
after the fund has been brought to our office to remit somebody from
your country by name Charle Porter contacted us and said you are on
sick bed and ordered him to contact us to remit the USD$2.5 million
using his information to pick up your fund presently under our custody
for transfer on your behalf.

The Official responsible for the presentation of your money valued
USD$2.5 million Winning quickly granted approvals to their application
now waiting for final endorsement from Board of Trustees.

When our ECOBANK Debit Note was submitted to my desk for final
Approvals before forwarding it to Board for endorsement, I noticed
that there are discrepancies as there was no evidence of authorization
letter from you for Charlie Porter to receive the fund on your behalf.
I urgently summoned The Official responsible for the presentation of
the winning and directed him to stop the movement of the funds and at
the same time placed a stop order instruction on the funds pending
when your views and comments are received with regards to this matter.

I hereby urged you to call or email me urgently for your comments
which will be highly appreciated if you are still alive or not on sick
bed, because we will not hesitate to continue the payment transfer
activation with the name of the gentleman on claim if no response come
from you. Contact me on this number : +2347081358151. or e-mail me
back using this address ecobankwesternunion@abv.bg as your
silence will be a clear indication that you authorized her to effect
the above changes . Also fill the information below to help us
facilitate your transfer via western union.

1) Your Full Name:.............
2) Fax and Mobile #:..........
3) Home/ Office Address:....
4) Profession and Age:.......

YOUR URGENT RESPOND IS HIGHLY NEEDED .

REGARDS,
DR. AMATA MICHAEL,
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS,
ECOBANK PLC WESTERN UNION DEPT.

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