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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: "CENTRAL BANK OF ( NIG. ) PLC." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <wilifredadams@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2009 01:36:01 +0100
Subject: PAYMENT APPROVAL.

Attn: Beneficiary,
 
This is to officially inform you that we have verified your contract / Inheritance file and discovered reasons why you are yet to receive your payment. It is because of irregularities and complications discovered on your payment file by our technical experts in respect to your contract / inheritance payment requirements which have just been duly rectified.
Meanwhile, we have been informed that you are still dealing with Impostors and non-recommended officials in the bank, such acts must stop for security reasons if you wish to receive your payment. Since we have decided to bring a solution to your problem, right now we have arranged your payment through our ATM Swift Card Payment this is the latest instruction by our new president Umaru Musa Yar'Adua (GCFR) Federal Republic of Nigeria, Below is the arrangement.
The swift card center will send you an ATM CARD, which you will use to withdraw your money from any ATM machine in any part of the world, but the maximum is ten thousand dollars per day, so if you like to receive your fund this way, please do let us know by contacting Mr. Wilifred Adams, Manager Swift Card Consultant Payment Center on +011 234 702 758 3553 for more information. And also send the Following information to him:
 
(1). Phone and Fax number.
(2). Addresses where you want them to send the card through diplomatic Courier service (P. O. Box not accepted).
(3). Your full name and total amount you are expecting.
 
Instead of loosing your fund, please indicate to the card center the total sum you are expecting and for your information you have to stop any further communication with any institution or office until you receive the ATM CARD.
Willifred Adams, as soon as you receive this important message on his direct number: +011 234 702 758 3553 for more direction on this regards and also updates him for further instruction and directives.
Note: Because of impostors, we hereby issue you our code of conduct Tag number, which is (805) so you must have to indicate this code when contacting the card center.
We await your urgent response.
 
Dr. Alice Brown
Chief Auditor / Secretary

Anti-fraud resources: