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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: "ZENITH BANK" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ep53003@googlemail.com>
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 2009 10:09:47 -0700
Subject: CHANGE OF YOUR INHERITANCE FUNDS OF $15.5M

WELCOME TO ZENITH BANK NIGERIA PLC
FROM THE DESK OF REV JOHN AMOS
DIRECTOR,INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE
FOREIGN OPERATIONS DEPT,
ZENITH BANK NIGERIA PLC
HEAD OFFICE:3,AKIN ADESOLA
STREET,VICTORIA-ISLAND
 
ATTENTION:
YOUR INHERITANCE FUNDS OF $15.5M.
THIS IS TO NOTIFY YOU THAT YOUR OVER DUE INHERITANCE FUNDS HAS BEEN GAZETTED TO BE RELEASED, VIA KEY TELEX TRANSFER (KTT )-DIRECT WIRE TRANSFER TO YOU BY THE SENATE COMMITTEE FOR FOREIGN OVER DUE FUND TRANSFER.
MEANWHILE,A MAN CAME TO MY OFFICE FEW DAYS AGO WITH A LETTER,CLAIMING TO BE YOUR TRUE REPRESENTATIVE. HERE ARE HER INFORMATION:
NAME Geddas Williams
BANK NAME: CITY BANK,
BANK ADDRESS:
NEW YORK, USA.
ACCOUNT Number: 6503809428.
PLEASE,DO RECONFIRM TO THIS OFFICE ,AS A MATTER OF URGENCY IF THIS MAN IS FROM YOU SO THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL NOT BEHELD RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING INTO
THE WRONG ACCOUNT NAME.
THE RESERVE BANK GOVERNOR,EXECUTIVE, BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE SENATE COMMITTEE FOR FOREIGN OVER DUE INHERITANCE 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 FUNDS THIS SECOND QUARTER PAYMENT OF THE YEAR.
Please, do reconfirm to this office, as a matter of urgency if this man Is from you. You are requested to fill and send this information for Verifications purposes so that your fund will be remitted into your Nominated bank account.
This fund is as a result of inheritance on your Behalf. Information needed from you for verification is as follow:
1. Names in full: -------------
2. Address:, -----------------
3. Nationality: ---------------
4. Age: --------------------
5. Occupation: ------------
6. Phone/Fax: ----------------
7. Present Country: -----------
8. Banking details: --------------
9. Contract amount: ------------
10.Copy of int'l passport,drivers license,or any valid ID card.
As soon as we receive this, we will commence with all necessary Procedures in other to remit this money into your account.
HOWEVER,WE SHALL PROCEED TO ISSUE ALL PAYMENTS DETAILS TO THE SAID Geddas Williams,IF WE DO NOT HEAR FROM YOU WITHIN THE NEXT SEVEN WORKING DAYS FROM TODAY.
CONGRATULATIONS IN ADVANCE.
BEST REGARDS,
REV JOHN AMOS
DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE
FOREIGN OPERATIONS DEPT,
ZENITH BANK NIGERIA PLC
LAGOS-NIGERIA.

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