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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: Mr John Lewins <ksknom@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: Mr John Lewins <unionhighcourt@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 6 Apr 2015 05:12:21 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Re: $2.5Million, ATM Master Card Payment


UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA/ATM LOGISTICS/ PROCESSING UNIT.
Head Office Address: Samuel Asabia House
35 Marina P.O. Box 5216, Lagos, Nigeria.
Tel: +234 80 2559 5546
 Fax: +234 1 448 55009

RE: NOTIFICATION OF YOUR ATM CARD THAT WAS RETURNED BACK BY DELIVERING COMPANY.

THE
MANAGEMENT OF UNITED BANK  FOR AFRICA WAS SURPRISED WHEN THE FEDEX
DELIVERING COMPANY'S MANAGER (MR PAUL IKE OBODO) RETURNED BACK YOUR ATM
CARD ($2,500,000.00) WE ISSUED IN YOUR NAME AND REQUESTED FOR
CANCELLATION, ACCORDING TO HIM,HE SAID THAT YOU ARE NOT READY TO COMPLY
BY SENDING THEIR REQUESTED MAILING FEE CHARGES IN OTHER FOR HIM AND HIS
OFFICE TO PROCEED WITH THE DELIVERING,THE MANAGEMENT OF THIS BANK HAS
DECIDED TO GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU AND ALSO TO KNOW WHY YOU FAIL TO COMPLY
WITH THE FEDEX DELIVERING COMPANY.

MAY I KINDLY INFORM YOU THAT
OUR BANK HAS ALREADY DONE ALL THE NECESSARY THING FOR THE DELIVERING OF
THE ATM CARD, THE ONLY THING YOU ARE REQUESTED TO SEND TO FEDEX
DELIVERING COMPANY IS JUST THEIR MAILING FEE WHICH THE FEDEX COMPANY
SAID THAT IT IS ONLY $95.00 usd, SO WE URGE YOU TO TRY AND SEND THE FEE
TO THEM IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOU RECEIVE THIS EMAIL OR WE GO AHEAD AND
CANCEL YOUR ATM CARD.

NOTE: OUR MANAGEMENT HAS DECIDED THAT WE
WILL GET IN CONTACT WITH YOU FIRST BEFORE WE COULD PROCEED WITH THE
CANCELLATION OF YOUR ATM CARD, TO KNOW WHAT IS THE PROBLEM AND WHY YOU
WANT TO ABANDON SUCH AMOUNT OF MONEY.
SO, I URGE YOU TO GET BACK TO
US IMMEDIATELY WITH MAILING FEE OF YOUR ATM CARD IF YOU STILL WISH TO
RECEIVE YOUR FUNDS WORH THE SUM OF $2.5MILLION DOLLARS, IF WE FAIL TO
HEAR FROM YOU, WE SHALL ASSUME THAT YOU DON'T NEED YOUR CARD ANY LONGER,
AND WE WILL HAVE NO ALTERNATIVE THAT TO CONFISCATE IT..

DO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS MESSAGE.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,
MR.JOHN HARRISON,
FOREIGN REMITTANCE MANAGER
UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA

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