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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: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: indo@representative.com
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2008 12:30:31 +0000
Subject: ATM PAYMENT.

FROM THE DESK OF MR WILLIAM IBRU
OFFICE OF THE ATM DEPARTMENT
LAGOS NIGERIA
OUR REF: ATM/3AG56/IDR  YOUR REF: .............  DATE: 18/ 10 / 2008
 
ATTENTION:
 
SUBJECT: NEW SWIFT CARD PAYMENT OF YOUR CONTRACT/INHERITANCE FUNDS.
THIS IS TO OFFICIALLY INFORM YOU THAT WE HAVE VERIFIED YOUR CONTRACT/INHERITANCE AND LOTTERY PAYMENT FILE AND DISCOVERED THE REASON WHY YOU HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO RECEIVE YOUR CONTRACT/INHERITANCE PAYMENT AFTER FULFILLING ALL STIPULATED OBLIGATIONS AND DOCUMENTATIONS, IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH IMPOSTORS AND NONE STAFF OF THE CBN. TO THIS END, ALL YOUR EFFORTS TO SECURE THE RELEASE OF YOUR FUND FAILED. WE THEREFORE WISH TO ADVISE THAT CONTINUING WITH SUCH ILLEGAL ACTS TO CLAIM YOUR CONTRACT/INHERITANCE AND LOTTERY FUNDS WILL FURTHER FRUSTRATE AND STOP YOUR PAYMENT CLAIM. WE HAVE RECEIVED THE EXPRESS MANDATE AND INSTRUCTIONS OF THE PRESIDENT, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA : CHIEF MUSA YAR'ADUA GCFR TOGETHER WITH THE EFCC NIGERIA , THE INTERPOL AND THE FBI TO COMMENCE THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE \ OF YOUR FUNDS THROUGH OUR SWIFT CARD PAYMENT CENTER . BASED ON THE PRESIDENT’S DIRECTIVE, WE HAVE CONCLUDED ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE RELEASE OF YOUR PAYMENT. THE PAYMENT WILL BE CONCLUDED THROUGH OUR CARD CENTER WHICH WILL SEND TO YOU, AN ATM CARD THAT YOU WILL USE TO WITHDRAW YOUR CONTRACT/INHERITANCE FUNDS IN ANY ATM MACHINE CENTRE IN THE WORLD WITH A MAXIMUM OF $10,000 TO $20,000 UNITED STATES DOLLARS DAILY.
 
HOWEVER, NOTE THAT THIS METHOD OF PAYMENT WILL BE GRANTED IF IT IS ACCEPTABLE TO YOU FOR THE RELEASE OF YOUR CONTRACT/INHERITANCE AND LOTTERY  ENTITLEMENT. IN VIEW OF THIS, YOU ARE ADVISED TO CONTACT THE DIRECTOR (CBN, IRD, AND ATM) MALLAM IDRIS EL-RUFAI FOR FURTHER INFORMATION WITH THE FOLLOWING CONTACT DETAILS;
 
EMAIL:indo@representative.com
Tel:+234-7027125167
 
YOU ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:
 
1. YOUR FULL NAME.
2. PHONE AND FAX NUMBER.
3. ADDRESSES WHERE YOU WANT THE ATM CARD TO BE SENT. (P.O BOX NOT ACCEPTABLE)
4. YOUR AGE AND CURRENT OCCUPATION
5. ATTACH COPY OF YOUR IDENTIFICATION.
 
THE ATM CARD PAYMENT CENTER HAS BEEN MANDATED TO ISSUE OUT $5,000,000.00 (FIVE MILLION, UNITED STATES DOLLARS) ONLY AS PART PAYMENT OF YOUR CONTRACT/INHERITANCE AND LOTTERY ENTITLEMENT FOR THE 2008 FISCAL YEAR.
 
TAKE NOTICE: THAT YOU ARE WARNED TO STOP FURTHER COMMUNICATIONS WITH ANY OTHER PERSON(S) OR OFFICE(S) DIFFERENT FROM THE STAFF OF THE ATM CARD PAYMENT CENTER OR MALLAM IDRIS EL-RUFAI TO AVOID DELAYS IN RECEIVING YOUR CONTRACT/INHERITANCE PAYMENT CLAIMS. THIS MEASURE IS INTENDED TO STOP THE IMPOSTORS YOU HAVE ERRONEOUSLY BEEN DEALING WITH. YOU ARE TO ADHERE STRICTLY TO OUR CODE OF CONDUCT, WHICH IS (ATM-3AG56) WHICH YOU WILL HAVE TO INDICATE WHEN CONTACTING THE CARD CENTER MALLAM IDRIS EL-RUFAI, BY USING IT AS YOUR SUBJECT.
 
FINALLY, FOR FURTHER DISCUSSIONS, YOU ARE ADVISED TO CALL OR EMAIL THE DIRECTOR, IRD, AND ATM, MALLAM IDRIS EL-RUFAI ON :
EMAIL:indo@representative.com
Tel:+234-7027125167
 
REGARDS,
HON. DDAA UMER

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