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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "central bank of nigeria" (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 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.
  • shamsudeenusman_1@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr.Shamsudeen Usman" <francolewis23@ig.com.br>
Reply-To: shamsudeenusman_1@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 2 Aug 2008 10:47:12 -0700
Subject: WHY YOU HAVE NOT SUCCEEDED


From the Desk
of

Mr.Shamsudeen Usman
CBN, Deputy Governor, Financial Sector Surveillance
E-mail: shamsudeenusman_1@yahoo.com
Direct line 234- 34298319



Attn:


RE: BENEFACTOR, WHY YOU HAVE NOT SUCCEEDED

After waiting to hear from you or your Nigerian partner for a long time now,
I decided to make this direct approach to you as my new resolution in other
not to let it be if I have anything in mind against you. I do not know if
you have asked yourself why each time the release of this fund is approved,
all of a sudden, the payment will be stopped or one problem or the other
will come up if you have not asked this question or you do not know, this is
an opportunity for me to tell you.

Some time ago, your Nigerian friends, I mean the people that introduced you
to the project approached me through my dear wife who work with the Federal
Ministry of Finance and requested me to assist them conclude a money
transfer deal they had with you. They requested me to assist them by
removing the original contractor's name, company's name and bank
particulars from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) vetting computer and
replacing them with your name and bank details in order to make you appear
as the rightful beneficiary of this fund. I agreed on condition that they
will pay me US$80,000.00 as soon as your name appears as the beneficiary. I
did as agreed and demanded to be paid, but your friends started telling me
stories, they even told me you promised to send money to me.

Do you know that up till now, I have not received a single cent from them
and have not set my eyes on any of them. Based on their attitude, I
decided to stop the fund release movement because I cannot be denied of my
right in my own office considering the risk as it might affect my job.
Secondly, I know the source of the funds that you did not execute any
contract in Nigeria, although I am the only person privileged to know this
information and it is a fact. Why I am making this clear to you is that I
can see that you are still making efforts in order to conclude this project.
Now I am ready to forget the past. I do not need the US$80.000.00 any longer
from you but a good compensation from your mind. I need your assurance that
those your colleagues will be totally kept out of this transaction. I know
that none of them is aware of my new approach to you. Stop spending your
money unnecessarily to CBN Officers both here and overseas because you will
not receive this money without my hand in it. I personally did the work at
the beginning and only me can perform it. Finally,

I need your promise that no official of the Central Bank of Nigeria will be
aware of my involvement in this regard because of my position. Now re-assure
that you will be willing to compensate me that you will assist my wife to
establish a foreign account in your country where my compensation will be
lodged. Also a TT FUND RELEASE APPROVAL DOCUMENTS will be sent to you for
endorsement after which I will remit the money within 48 hours. I am a man
of my word.

If you are ready to continue and successful conclusion this business ,
kindly contact me on me on the contact details above but if the reverse is
the case, do not bother yourself to reach me and forget about this money.

BEST REGARDS
Mr.Shamsudeen Usman

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam