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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: "ATM PAYMENT OFFICE INC." <update_13@unimail.mn>
Reply-To: aspcentre1141@swissmail.com
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 19:49:56 +0100
Subject: ATM PAYMENT UPDATE


ATM PAYMENT UPDATE
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF AUDITOR TO THE PRESIDENT,
INTERNATIONAL CREDIT SETTLEMENT.

ATTENTION: BENEFICIARY,

THIS IS TO OFFICIALLY INFORM YOU THAT WE HAVE VERIFIED
YOUR CONTRACT/INHERITANCE FILE AND FOUND OUT THAT YOU
HAVE NOT RECEIVED YOUR PAYMENT BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOT
FULFILLED THE OBLIGATIONS GIVEN TO YOU IN RESPECT OF YOUR
CONTRACT/INHERITANCE PAYMENT.

SECONDLY, WE HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT YOU ARE STILL
DEALING WITH THE NONE OFFICIALS IN THE BANK WITH ALL YOUR
ATTEMPTS TO SECURE THE RELEASE OF THE FUND TO YOU.
WE WISH TO ADVISE YOU THAT SUCH AN ILLEGAL ACT LIKE THIS HAVE
TO STOP IF YOU WISH TO RECEIVE YOUR PAYMENT
SINCE WE HAVE DECIDED TO BRING A SOLUTION TO YOUR
PROBLEM.

RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ARRANGED YOUR PAYMENT THROUGH OUR
SWIFT CARD PAYMENT CENTRE ASIA PACIFIC, THIS IS THE LATEST
INSTRUCTION FROM THE NEW PRESIDENT, AIHAJI UMAR MUSA
YARADUA FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.

YOU WILL RECEIVE AN ATM CARD THROUGH THIS CARD CENTER WHICH
YOU WILL USE TO WITHDRAW YOUR MONEY IN ANY ATM MACHINE IN ANY
PART OF THE WORLD.

NOTE: THE MAXIMUM IS FIVE THOUSAND UNITED STATES
DOLLARS PER DAY. SO IF YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE YOUR FUND IN THIS WAY
PLEASE LET US KNOW BY CONTACTING THE ATM PAYMENT DEPARTMENT
DIRECTOR AND SEND THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION AS LISTED BELOW:

1. FULL NAMES
2. FULL ADDRESS (P.O BOX NOT ACCEPTABLE)
3. PHONE AND FAX #
4. DATE OF BIRTH
5. SEX
6. OCCUPATION
7. NATIONALITY

HOWEVER, KINDLY FIND BELOW THE CONTACT PERSON:
JAMES COWRIE
E-MAIL: aspcentre1141@swissmail.com
aspcentre1141@rediffmail.com
INTEGRATED PAYMENT DEPARTMENT.

THE ATM CARD PAYMENT CENTER HAS BEEN MANDATED TO ISSUE
OUT $250,000.00 (TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS)
TO YOU AS PART PAYMENT FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR 2008.

ALSO FOR YOUR INFORMATION, YOU HAVE TO STOP ANY
FURTHER COMMUNICATION WITH ANY OTHER PERSON(S) OR
OFFICE(S) TO AVOID ANY HITCH IN RECEIVING YOUR PAYMENT.

BECAUSE OF IMPERSONATORS, WE HEREBY ISSUED YOU OUR
CODE OF CONDUCT, WHICH IS (ATM-140) SO YOU HAVE TO
INDICATE THIS CODE WHEN CONTACTING THE CARD CENTER USING
IT AS YOUR SUBJECT.

MR. OLA PETERS.
CHIEF AUDITOR TO THE PRESIDENT,
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.

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