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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: FOREIGN OPERATIONS <foreignoperation_02@msn.com>
Reply-To: <ojo_afolabi@yahoo.fr>
Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2008 12:09:19 +0000
Subject: RE: INSTRUCTIONAL PAYMENT ORDER (IPO)



CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN).CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS: CBN HOUSE TINUBU SQUARE,ELEKE CRESCENT-VICTORIA ISLAND,MARINA LAGOS NIGERIA, WEST AFRICA.P.O.BOX 55037 FALOMO IKOYI,MARINA LAGOS .TEL/FAX: +234 1 8542088 RE: INSTRUCTIONAL PAYMENT ORDER (IPO)DATE: 09/10/2008. ATTENTION: SIR/MADAM, AS AUDITING WAS GOING ON WE FOUND OUT THAT YOUR FUNDS PAYMENT IS STILL REFLECTING IN OUR CENTRAL PAYMENT COMPUTER AS UNCLAIMED FUNDS. THIS IS TO OFFICIALLY INFORM YOU THAT THE SENATE COMMITTEE FOR FOREIGN OVER DUE FUND PAYMENT HAS APPROVED YOUR OVER DUE INHERITANCE/CONTRACT FUNDS TO BE RELEASED TO YOU VIA KEY TELEGRAPHIC TRANSFER(KTT) DIRECT TO YOUR ACCOUNT FROM THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA OR ANY OF OUR CORRESPONDENT PAYMENT BANK. MEANWHILE, A WOMAN CAME TO MY OFFICE WITH A LETTER OF AUTHORIZATION,CLAIMING TO BE YOUR TRUE REPRESENTATIVE. HERE ARE HER INFORMATIONS FOR YOU TO CONFIRM TO THIS OFFICE IF THIS WOMAN IS TRULY FROM YOU OR NOT SO THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING INTO ANY WRONG ACCOUNTS. CLAIMS NAME: MRS.JANET WHITE.ACCOUNT NAME: MRS.JANET WHITE.BANK NAME: HSBC BANK USA. ACCOUNT NUMBER:503809428. PLEASE, DO RECONFIRM TO THIS OFFICE AS A MATTER OF URGENCY IF THIS WOMAN IS FROM YOU OR NOT SO TO AVOID PAYING TO THE WRONG PERSON. YOU ARE REQUIRED TO FILL AND SEND YOUR INFORMATIONS AS STATED BELLOW SO THAT YOUR FUND VALUED US$7.5M (SEVEN MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS) WILL BE REMITTED INTO YOUR NOMINATED BANK ACCOUNT ANY WHERE.THIS FUND IS AS A RESULT OF INHERITANCE/CONTRACT ON YOUR BEHALF. INFORMATION NEEDED FROM YOU IS AS FOLLOWS: 1.YOUR NAME:..........................2.YOUR FULL ADDRESS:..................3.YOUR MOBILE PHONE NUMBER:...........4.FAX:................................5.AGE:.................................6.SEX:................................7..YOUR OCCUPATION:....................8.YOUR BANKING DETAILS:...............9.ANY COPY OF YOUR IDENTIFICATION:.... AS SOON AS WE RECEIVE THESE INFORMATIONS FROM YOU, WE SHALL COMMENCE WITH ALL NECESSARY PROCEDURES IN OTHER TO REMIT THIS MONEY INTO YOUR ACCOUNT. THE CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE (FMF)EXECUTIVE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE SENATE COMMITTEE FOR FOREIGN OVER DUE INHERITANCE/CONTRACT FUND HAVE APPROVED AND ACCREDITED THIS REPUTABLE BANK WITH THE OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR,INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE/FOREIGN OPERATIONS,TO HANDLE AND TRANSFER ALL FOREIGN INHERITANCE/CONTRACT FUNDS IN THIS FISCAL YEAR 2008. HOWEVER, WE SHALL PROCEED TO ISSUE ALL PAYMENTS DETAILS TO THE SAID MRS.WHITE,IF WE DO NOT HEAR FROM YOU WITHIN THE NEXT SEVEN WORKING DAYS FROM TODAY. WE ARE SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE THE DELAY IN TRANSFERRING OF THIS FUND MUST HAVE CAUSED YOU. YOUR URGENT ATTENTION WILL BE HIHGLY APPRECIATED. MR. AFOLABI OJODIRECTOR FOREIGN OPERATIONS,CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA.Email: ojo_afolabi@yahoo.fr

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