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: "charles ibeh" <charles_45_ibeh@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 03 Apr 2006 13:13:52 +0100
Subject: DO YOU SEND ANY BODY FROM SWISS TO RECEIVE YOUR PAYMENT?

FROM:CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN)
DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL
REMMITANCY/ TELEX DEPARTMENT.
SIR,
CONPLIMENT OF THE SEASONS
RE: LETTER OF ENQUIRY ON CONTRACT PAYMENT.
WE WRITE TO ENQUIRE FROM YOU IF YOU HAVE SENT SOMEBODY FROM SWITZERLAND MR
SCHEMIRLT AND SOME NIGERIA REPRESENTATIVE TO THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
(CBN) TO MAKE CLAIM ON YOUR BEHALF.

TODAY AT ABOUT 10.00 AM NIGERIA TIME, MR SCHEMIRLAT AND YOUR NIGERIAN
REPRESENTATIVE CAME TO THE BANK SAYING THAT YOU HAVE SENT THEM TO MAKE CLAIM
ON YOUR BEHALF ON YOUR CONTRACT FUNDS.

I INITIALLY INSTRUCTED FOR THE RELEASE OF THE FUND TO THEM AS THEY CAME
WITH ALL OBLIGATORY DOCUMENTS, BUT ON CROSS CHECKING YOUR CONTRACT FILE, I
DISCOVERED THAT THE BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER THEY PRESENTED WAS DIFFERENT FROM
YOUR OWN BANK ACCOUNT AND THE BENEFICARY OF THE ACCOUNT THE BROUGHT IS
CHANGORI AND CHANGORI THAT'S MAKE US TO SUSPECT THEM, THIS IS A SERIOUS
MATTER IN THE BANK NOW AND WE HAVE GIVEN A MANDATE TO RELEASE THIS FUND TO
YOU BY THE PRESIDENCY.

NOW WE HAVE REQUESTED THEM TO FORWARD A POWER OF ATTORNEY FROM YOU,
INFORMING THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN) OF THE CHANGE IN ACCOUNT NUMBER.
THIS THEY COULD NOT PRODUCE IMMEDIATELY. I HAVE ASKED THEM TO COME BACK IN
TWO DAYS TIME, THIS IS TO ENABLE US CONTACT YOU AND VERIFY HOW GENUINE
THESE TWO PEOPLE ARE TO YOU, THOUGH THEY PROMISED TO PRODUCE THE POWER OF
ATTORNEY ON THEIR NEXT VISIT TO THE BANK.

I HAVE DEEMED IT NECESSARY TO CONTACT YOU AND ASCERTAIN THE TRUE POSITION
IN OTHER TO AVOID REMITTING THESE FUNDS INTO A WRONG ACCOUNT. COULD YOU
PLEASE CONTACT THE UNDERSIGNED THROUGH THE mail, TO CONFIRM MATTERS BEFORE
WE START TAKING LEGAL ACTION, BUT IF THEY ARE FROM YOU, KINDLY GIVE THEM
THE POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR THE PAYMENT OF THE CONTRACT FUNDS INTO THE
SWITZERLAND ACCOUNT UBS AG BANKING SWITZERLAND.

YOU SHOULD NOTE THAT BY THE AUTHORITIES OF THE PRESIDENCY, AND IN LINE WITH
THE ENABLING DECREE OF 512 ?A? IN CONSULTATION WITH THE RELEVANT BODIES; THE
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN), THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE
(NEIC) AND THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE (FMF), WE HAVE RESOLVED THAT ALL
OVERDUE CONTRACT PAYMENTS BE RELEASED THIS QUARTER IN ABSOLUTE OBEDIENCE TO
THE I.M.F AND WORLD BANK MANDATORY CONDITIONALITIES OF SERVICE TO
OUR FOREIGN CAPITAL DEBTS.

BASED ON THIS, THIS OFFICE HAS BEEN MANDATED BY THE PRESIDENCY TO HANDLE
ALL PAYMENTS DUE TO FOREIGN CONTRACTORS. YOU SHOULD THEREFORE DISREGARD ANY
CORRESPONDENCE THAT YOU MAY HAVE OR MAY COME TO YOU FROM ANY OTHER
DEPARTMENT.

PLEASE ASSIST US TO EXPEDITE ACTION AND REPLY ME IMMEDIATELY YOU RECEIVE
THIS MAIL NOW. I AM IN THE OFFICE WAITING FOR YOUR MAIL,
ANTICIPATING YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE AND CO-OPERATION.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,

FOR: CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN).
CHARLES IBEH.

_________________________________________________________________
Don't just search. Find. Check out the new MSN Search!
http://search.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200636ave/direct/01/

Anti-fraud resources: