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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: "PERMANET SECRETARY" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <johnsmith.lake@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:56:05 -0800
Subject: Dear Beneficiary,

Dear Beneficiary,

You are enjoined to read this letter to the finish line in your own interest.

Following the newly revised international regulatory policy by the United Nation (U.N), a mandate was given that all undelivered & Seized Consignment funds, Cheque, Bond, Securities, Bank draft and ATM card should be returned to the Ministry of Finance in Nigeria for confiscation due to none compliance.

After these funds got to the Ministry of Finance, in order to maintain international relationship and ensure equity, the ministry of finance has carried out an intensive investigation which proved that you have never at anytime recieved any of your funds and the Secretary did not notify you before the return of all prizes. In view of this, the Ministry of Finance set up a committe to verify names for compensation and you have been enlisted as one of the ten (10) people to be compensated with the sum of Eight Hundred Thousand United States Dollars ($800,000.00).

An interswift ATM CARD with available balance deposit of $800,000 has been issued in your favour. Your ATM CARD has been packaged and forwarded to the official courier for onward delivery to you at your advised address.

Be informed that the delivery fee has been paid to the courier company before they accepted your parcel which contains your atm card. All you have to pay now is just a fee of $320 being fee for the courier's safe keeping fee otherwise known as demurage on your parcel.

This is because, immediately after the announcement, the Minister of Finance (Remi Babalola) ordered that all ATM cards should be forwarded to the courier firm for registration for delivery to the respective beneficiaries in order to avoid misappropriation and the delivery fee was paid immediately pending when you contact the agent in charge. So, the $320 is a fee the courier will require for the safe keeping of your ATM CARD in order to avoid misappropriation of your ATM CARD by insecured security measures.

You are to contact the agent in charge with your details for immediate delivery, but, do not forget to quote your five (5) digit security numbers (90011).

AGENT: Mr.John Smith
EMAIL: johnsmith.lake@hotmail.com
PHONE: +234-7081 581 155

You are advised to send the courier company's security keeping fee of $120 to the name of account officer below and then send the money transfer control numbers to him together with a reconfirmation of the following details for identification of your ATM CARD:

YOUR FULL NAMES:
DELIVERY ADDRESS:...................................
DIRECT PHONE:..............................................
SECURITY CODE:....................................(90011)
AMOUNT SENT:......................................$320
RECIEVER'S NAME:..........................Charles Phillip
LOCATION:...........12 Park Lane Apapa Lagos-Nigeria
QUESTION:...............................................COLOR?
ANSWER:...................................................WHITE
M.T.C.N:.................Make Available After Payment

After sending the $320 Safe keeping fee, confirm the ten digit money transfer control numbers to the agent above with your details and your parcel shall be delivered immediately to you.

Thank you for your understanding and appreciation.
Yours faithfuly,
Farouk Yola
PERMANET SECRETARY

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