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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: "Central Bank Nigeria" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <cbn.transfer@e-mail.ua>
Date: Wed, 7 May 2014 07:14:25 -0500
Subject: Re.....******Confirm***to This Mail***

CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
(International Fund Recovery Unit)
6th Floor, CBN House, Marina.
Lagos, Nigeria.
 
Forward all correspondence to:
Dr. Tunde Lemo
Executive Director, Financial System Stability
Telephone: +2347036768221
E-mail: cbn.transfer@e-mail.ua
 
Our Reference:  IFRU/G7/008554/CBN
Your Ref:008554/IFRU/XXXCBN/14/NGR
Date: 6th May, 2014
Dear listed beneficiary, 
 
A communiqué was issued to our unit by the Central Bank Governor to
 
Following a recent communiqué issued by the Central bank Governor directing our Unit to verify and commence stipulated part-payment to all owed foreign contractors/Inheritance beneficiaries whose outstanding funds have remained unpaid, I hereby inform you that you are one of the listed for the part-payment valued US$6,500,000.00 (Six Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) only. This exercise must be completed before the Central Bank Governor proceed on Post-Retirement leave in June, 2014.
 
 
To facilitate this fund transfer as affirmed, you are required to provide the following information without delay.
 
1. Full Names: .......................
2. Contact Address:.......................
3. Occupation: ...........................
4. Marital Status: ............................
5. Date Of Birth/Sex:...........................
6. Telephone Number:...............................
 
Always quote your Payment Reference No: 008554/IFRU/XXXCBN/14/NGR in all your correspondence.
Yours faithfully,
Dr. Tunde Lemo
Executive Director, Financial System Stability.

Anti-fraud resources: