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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: "Rev.Martin Cole." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <usaembassynigeriaoffice@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Thu, 24 Oct 2013 05:14:57 -0400
Subject: U.S.A EMBASSY

U.S.A EMBASSY FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.
Metro Plaza, Plot 991/992
Zakari Maimalari Street
Cadastral Zone AO,
Central Business District, West Africa
 
 
AMERICAN EMBASSY in Nigeria, Benin Republic,
 
Ghana and Bokina-faso received a report of scam
 
against you and other Sweden/US citizens and
 
Malaysia Etc. whom the country of Nigeria/
 
Benin,Bokina faso And Ghana have recompensed you
 
due to meeting held with Four countries
 
Government and the world high Commissions against
 
fraud activities by the Four Country Citizens.
Your name was among those scammed as listed by
 
the West Africa Financial Intelligent Unit
 
(WAFIU). A re-compensation has been issued out in
 
ATM card to all the affected victims and has been
 
already in distribution to all the bearers. Your
 
ATM card was among those that was reported
 
undelivered since Friday last week and we wish to
 
advise you to seek to the instructions of the
 
Committee to make sure you receives your ATM card
 
immediately for your depositing into your
 
account.
 
 
WAFIU further told us that the use of Nigeria
 
Couriers service was abolished due to
 
interception activities noticed in the above
 
mentioned courier services in Nigeria,Benin, and
 
Ghana and there by have made a concrete
 
arrangement with the DHL Courier Company for a
 
safe delivery to your door-step once the
 
beneficiary meets up with re-confirmation of
 
delivery details. To verify if you are rightfully
 
owner of the said fund, you are advice to
 
re-confirm your information to this office
 
urgently as below.
 
Your Fully Name=============
Home Address==============
Phone Number==============
Country==================
Copy Of ID================
 
We advise that you do the needful to make sure
 
the WAFIU dispatches your recompense to you. You
 
are assured of the safety of your ATM card and
 
availability and be advised that you should stop
 
further contacts with all the fake lawyers and
 
security companies who in collaboration scammed
 
you.
 
 
It is my pleasure to inform you that ATM Card
 
Number; 5951 3901 2365 2671 have been approved in
 
your favor. Your Personal Identification Number
 
is 822. The ATM Card Value is $2.5,000.000.00 USD
 
ONLY. You advised that a maximum withdrawal value
 
of $25,000.00 USD is permitted on withdrawal per
 
Day and we are duly Inter Switch and you can make
 
withdrawal in any location and ATM Center of your
 
choice.
I wait to hear from you immediately you receive
 
this message.
 
I, BEING DR. MIKE MORRIS MAKES THIS GUARANTEE
 
WITH SINCERITY, HAVING CONSULTED WITH THE OFFICE
 
OF MAJESTIC COURT TOP-MOST HEAD QUOTER, WITNESSED
 
BY THE OFFICE LEGAL ATTORNEY: BARRISTER HILL
 
WELLS.
NOTE: THIS IS A LAST AND FINAL GUARANTEE; ONCE
 
AND FOR ALL GUARANTEE; IRREVOCABLE GUARANTEE.
 
 
 
Your's in Service,
Rev.Martin Cole.
Director,(PhD).
CONSULAR,
U.S.A EMBASSY
 
 
THE BOARD
 
 
Professor Mike Morris,Chairman
He holds a Masters Degree in Law and a Doctorate
 
Degree in Property Law from Boston University,
 
USA. Former Dean of the Faculty of Law (1981-88)
 
at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and was
 
once a member of Council/Senate Committee on
 
Finance and Governing Board of Advanced Legal
 
Studies of the University of Lagos . Former
 
Director of the Central Bank
 
Mr. Barthlomew Bassey Ebong, Auditor/Chief
 
Accountant
He attended the University of Wisconsin, USA,
 
where he obtained the B.Sc. degree in (Cum Laude)
 
in Accounting and later proceeded to the Graduate
 
School of Business Administration, University of
 
Minnesota, USA, where he obtained MBA with
 
specialization in Finance and Management
 
Information Systems. He later qualified as
 
Certified Public Accountant of the American
 
Institute of Public Accountants. He was Executive
 
Director Finance Services before his appointment
 
.
 
 
Ado Abdullahi, Executive Secretary(South West
 
Operations)
He holds a BSC (Economics) from Ahmadu Bello
 
University Zaria and MSC (Management and
 
Technology) from the University of Wales
 
Institute of Science and Technology, Cardiff, UK
 
. He was Ex

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