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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "federal high court" (This court is often mentioned in '419' scams to give the victim a reason why he/she should send thousands of dollars to the scammers. A 'Federal High Court' exists in Germany and Nigeria, but not in other countries, such as the UK, Spain, Netherlands, Senegal, Benin, South Africa or other countries where fake lawyers in scams often claim to be based. )
  • "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "nigeria national petroleum corporation" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +2348034412751 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
  • +23418122103 (Nigeria, landline)

Fraud email example:

From: "olu imala" <olu4imala@fastwebmail.it>
Reply-To: oluimala01@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:46:06 +0000
Subject: RE:FUND RELEASE


*THE NEW PRESIDENCY
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL DELEGATE TO THE PRESIDENT
ON FINANCIAL AFFAIRS/FOREIGN PAYMENTS AND DEBT SETTELMENT
Tel: +234-803-4412751 Fax: 234-1-8122103*

*DATE: 27/06/2008

From the desk of:
Hon Olu Imala (F.E.C)
RE:FUND RELEASE

Attn: Sir/Madam,

It has come to my notice that your long overdue contract fund payment has
not been released to you. Since the release order has been instructed and
mandated to you after a conclusive meeting with the Federal Executive
Council (F.E.C).

After my investigation, I found out that your fund has not been claimed and
also found out that all effort by you to receive your payment fail, base on
wrong information by your local representatives deceptive notification
message to you concerning the release of your payment such illegal
information that has been sending to by your local representatives should be
disregarded and discarded in your own interest to avoid making unnecessary
and illegal payment to any body. I want you to know that as far as the
office of the Special Adviser is concerned all letter of notification of
your payment has been sent to us.

Therefore, you are advised to contact this office within 48 hours of the
receipt of this urgent message to indicate clearly, reasons why you have not
claimed your fund after Federal High Court judgment, all the Federal
Parastatals, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the Federal
Ministry of Finance (FMF), The National Assembly (NASS), Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN) has been notified in respect of your payment.

As a matter of urgency, all contractors concerned are hereby advised
To comply by making sure that their full details below are forwarded to
Office of the new chairman as follows;-

A) CONTRACT AMOUNT
(B) CONTRACT AWARD NUMBER
(C) YOUR BANKING DETAILS
(D) CURRENT TELEPHONE & FAX NUMBERS
(E) FULL NAME AND ADDRESS

Yours sincerely,
Hon Olu Imala (F.E.C)*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam