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: "barrister godwin" <barrister_god_win00@me.by>
Date: Mon, 21 Jul 2008 16:19:30 +0200
Subject: CONTACT REV BENARD IKEM FOR YOUR ATM CARD PAYMENT


*FROM THE DESK OF MINISTRY OF FINANCE BENIN REPUBLIC
ADDRESS: 541,ST RITA ABOMY COTONOU BENIN. REPUBLIC.
Phone; +229 93 697 167
Fax: +229-93 00 7679
Our Ref: BR/102/0005B/06
DATE: 3RD JULY 2008
ATTN SOLE BENEFICIARY,
HOW ARE YOU TODAY?
NOW WE HAVE ARRANGED YOUR PAYMENT OF ($1.5m) ONE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED
THOUSAND UNITED STATES *

*DOLLARS THROUGH SWIFT CARD PAYMENT CENTER ASIA PACIFIC, THIS CARD CENTER
WILL SEND YOU AN ATM *

*CARD WHICH YOU WILL USE TO WITHDRAW YOUR MONEY IN ANY ATM MACHINE IN ANY
PART OF THE WORLD, BUT *

*THE MAXIMUM IS ONE THOUSAND, FIVE HUNDRED UNITED STATES DOLLARS PER DAY. SO
IF YOU LIKE TO *

*RECEIVE YOUR FUND IN THIS WAY,PLEASE LET ME KNOW BY CONTACTING
INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC BENIN ATM *

*PAYMENT DEPARTMENT AND ALSO SEND THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION AS LISTED BELOW
TO THEM.*

*1.FULL NAME
2.ADDRESS WERE YOU WANT THEM TO SEND THE ATM CARD
3.PHONE AND FAX NUMBER
4.YOUR AGE AND CURRENT OCCUPATION
5.ATTACH COPY OF YOUR IDENTIFICATION*

*HOWEVER, KINDLY CONTACT THE BELOW PERSON WHO IS IN POSITION TO RELEASE YOUR
ATM PAYMENT CARD.
REV DR.BENARD IKEM DIRECTOR,
ATM PAYMENT DEPARTMENT
INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC BENIN.
EMAIL;internationa.lbank@yahoo.de
MOBILE: +229 93 697 167 *

*THE ATM CARD PAYMENT CENTER HAS BEEN MANDATED TO ISSUE OUT YOUR PAYMENT AND
YOU HAVE TO STOP ANY *

*FURTHER COMMINUCATION WITH ANY OTHER PERSON(S)
OR OFFICE(s) TO AVOID ANY HITCHES IN RECEIVING YOUR PAYMENT.
NOTE THAT BECAUSE OF IMPOSTORS, WE HEREBY ISSUED YOU OUR CODE OF
CONDUCT, WHICH IS (ATM-0411) SO YOU HAVE TO INDICATE THIS CODE WHEN
CONTACTING THE CARD CENTER BY *

*USING IT AS YOUR SUBJECT. REGARDS, *

*BARRISTER GODWIN
SECRETARY MINISTRY OF FINANCE BENIN*

Anti-fraud resources: