joewein.de LLC fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter! Free trial for 30 days

"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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.

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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "hundred thousand united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • shamsudeenusman9@myway.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "shamsudeenusman Gazeta.pl" <shamsudeenusman@gazeta.pl>
Date: Tue, 3 Jun 2008 13:03:50 +0100
Subject: Your Fund Is Ready For Transfer


From Dr. Shamsudeen Usman
Hon. Minister of Finance
Ministry of Finance
Federal Secretariat Complex
Garki Phase 11, Federal Capital
Territory Abuja-Nigeria
Ref: fmf-Nig/4/08

Attn: Beneficiary,

Re: Contract/Inheritance Fund Transfer Notification

I have received an instruction from the office of the presidency, and the
senate committee on foreign payments, to pay you your contract/inheritance
fund from my Ministry the (Ministry of Finance). This is to notify you that
your fund which is the total sum of Eight Million Five Hundred Thousand
United States Dollars ($8,500.000) which represents your
contract/inheritance fund have been programmed for immediate
payment/transfer to you through your nominated bank account overseas. I am
happy to inform you that your contract/inheritance fund payment has been
finalized and is going to be released to you as the legitimate beneficiary
of the fund, via Key Tested Telegraphic Transfer (KT T).

Meanwhile, a man and his attorney came to my office few days ago claiming
that he is your representative, that you have mandated him to claim your
over due Contract/Inheritance fund payment as your next of kin.

Here are the informations he provided to us for the claim below.

Name: Mr. Micheal Jones.
Bank Name: Halifax Bank, New York.
Bank Address: Halifax Plaza New York,USA.
Account Number: 4823879437.
Routing Number: 2027149185.

I ask you as a matter of urgency to reconfirm to this office, if this man is
from you so that the Federal Government of Nigeria will not be held
responsible for paying your beneficiary funds into the wrong person.

If this man is not your representative, you are required to fill and send
below these information for verification purpose so that your fund valued
the sum of Eight Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars will be
released to you immediately.

1. Your Name/Address
2. Your Telephone/Fax
3. Your Age/Occupation
4. Sex
5. A Copy of Your Int'n Passport or Your ID Card.

As soon as we receive this information from you, we shall commence payment
proceedings immediately with all necessary procedure in other to remit this
money into your account overseas. From the office of the Minister, we shall
pay you your funds through the Central Bank of Nigeria which has been
approved and accredited to handle and transfer all foreign
contract/inheritance funds this second quarter payment of the year
2008/2009. However, we shall proceed to issue all payment details to the
said Mr. Jones, if we do not hear from you within the next seven working
days from today.

Get back to me on this email address, shamsudeenusman9@myway.com it's an
important instruction you must comply with.

I await your urgent response.

Yours Faithfully

Dr. Shamsudeen Usman
Hon. Minister of Finance
Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam