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: "From The Desk Of Mr. Douglas Shulman" <officeservices30@gmail.com>
Reply-To: "From The Desk Of Mr. Douglas Shulman" <irsofficeservices@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 1 Dec 2015 00:54:45 +0900 (JST)
Subject: U.S.A. Internal Revenue Service Department. Bureau of Consular Affairs


U.S.A. Internal Revenue Service Department.
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Washington, DC 20520
Greeting from USA I.R.S,
Contact person: Mr. Douglas Shulman
 
The issue of receipt of your package
with No.-35460021, Allocation No: 674632 Password No: 339331, Pin Code No:
55674 and your Certificate of Merit Payment No: 103, Released Code No: 0763;
Immediate Telex confirmation No:-1114433; Secret Code No: XXTN013. Has been in
Customs facility custody waiting for resolutions of the clearance to further
the shipping to your delivery address by the delivery Agent who came all the
way from Africa
 
However
your immediate response has proved beyond every reasonable doubt that you are
the owner of the Consignment Box and the authenticity of your claim as the
Commission will now appreciate it very much if you will effectively comply
strictly within the next 12 hrs to fulfill the required.
 
We are now compelled by reasons of your
cooperation to engage the USA customs service which is in charge of your
Consignment Box to put into effect the machinery for the immediate release of
your Consignment to you and at the same time liaise with the Rep of Benin for
the acquisition of the ownership clearance certificate.
 
The
actual charge for the acquisition of the Clearance certificate is $198 and
within 3 hrs of the receipt of the $198 charge and acquisition of the
certificate, your consignment will be promptly released for onward delivery to
you. Note that the reason for the acquisition of the clearance from Rep of Benin is because the Rep of Benin is theport of Departure of the consignment and the origin of the
consignment.
 
Be assured that all necessary procedures
and documentation effecting delivery have all been fulfilled and there will not
be any other requirement for any other document or whatsoever. The delivery
will be effected at no extra cost after payment of the $198. Note that the $198
being requested is not getting into the coffers of this commission but used to
obtain the certificate in your own interest to enable us meet up with the
delivery of your package box into your Address
 
This is neither a scam or a game and all
procedures are open and being followed strictly for you to be able to sue this
commission or take strict action in the event of non fulfillment of delivery
but I give you a %100 guarantee of immediate delivery upon receipt of the $198
today been 30/11/2015.
 
You are hereby directed to make the
payment in favor of Kenneth Callaway who is our resident accountant inWashington to immediately make the acquisition of
the certificate. Find below the details of the Accountant whom you are to send
the $198 to money gram or western union.
 
Receiver Kenneth
Callaway
Home Address *407
valley ave ne #u204
Country: U.S.A
City: Puyallup
State: Washington State
Test Q: to whom
Answer: Ken
Amount:   $198 only
 
Once you send the money, try to notify
us with the MTCN for easy pick up and for immediate action on the release of
your consignment. Please treat this as a matter of urgency .Note that any
unclaimed consignment will be either confiscated or returned to the country of
origin .You are hereby urgently advised to comply with the instructions so as
to allow for immediate release and delivery of your consignment to your
location.
 
So you are urgently advised to comply
with our directives so that the Customs will release your consignment.
Yours Sincerely,
 
Mr. Douglas
Commissioner of U.S.A. Internal Revenue Service Department
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Washington, DC 20520
Tel: +1 202
688-8567

Anti-fraud resources: