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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: "don white" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <revdwhite2@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 9 Feb 2010 11:57:49 +0100
Subject: LETTER OF ENQUIRY ON INHERITANCE PAYMENT

FROM THE DESK OF REV DON WHITE
INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT.
EMAIL: revdwhite2@gmail.com
 
LETTER OF ENQUIRY ON INHERITANCE PAYMENT.
 
WE WRITE TO ENQUIRE FROM YOU IF YOU HAVE SENT SOMEBODY FROM SWITZERLAND MR SCHEMIRLAT AND SOME NIGERIA REPRESENTATIVE INCLUDING YOUR ATTORNEY TO THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN) TO MAKE CLAIM ON YOUR BEHALF.
THIS YOUR FUND HAS BEEN CALLED BACK BY THEY CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA FROM ABI BANK LONDON DUE TO THERE INABILITY TO HANDLE THE TRANSACTION.
MR SCHEMIRLAT AND YOUR NIGERIAN REPRESENTATIVE CAME TO THE BANK SAYING THAT YOU HAVE SENT THEM TO MAKE CLAIM ON YOUR BEHALF ON YOUR PAYMENT FUNDS $9.5M USD.
 
I INITIALLY INSTRUCTED FOR THE RELEASE OF THE FUND TO THEM AS THEY CAME  WITH ALL OBLIGATORY DOCUMENTS, BUT ON CROSS CHECKING YOUR INHERITANCE FILE, I DISCOVERED THAT THE BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER THEY PRESENTED WAS DIFFERENT FROM YOUR OWN BANK ACCOUNT AND THE BENEFICARY OF THE ACCOUNT THE BROUGHT IS CHANGORI AND CHANGORI THAT'S MAKE US TO SUSPECT THEM, THIS IS A SERIOUS MATTER IN THE APEX BANK NOW AND WE HAVE GIVEN A MANDATE TO RELEASE THIS FUND  TO YOU BY THE PRESIDENCY.NOW WE HAVE REQUESTED THEM TO FORWARD A POWER OF ATTORNEY FROM YOU, INFORMING THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN) OF THE CHANGE IN ACCOUNT NUMBER.
THIS THEY COULD NOT PRODUCE IMMEDIATELY.
 
I HAVE ASKED THEM TO COME BACK IN TWO DAYS TIME, THIS IS TO ENABLE US CONTACT YOU AND VERIFY HOW GENUINE  THESE TWO PEOPLE ARE TO YOU, THOUGH THEY PROMISED TO PRODUCE THE POWER OF  ATTORNEY ON THEIR NEXT VISIT TO THE BANK.I HAVE DEEMED IT NECESSARY TO CONTACT YOU AND ASCERTAIN THE TRUE POSITION IN OTHER TO AVOID REMITTING THESE FUNDS INTO A WRONG ACCOUNT. COULD YOU PLEASE CONTACT THE UNDERSIGNED THROUGH THE MAIL, TO CONFIRM MATTERS BEFORE WE START TAKING LEGAL ACTION, BUT IF THEY ARE FROM YOU, KINDLY GIVE THEM THE POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR THE PAYMENT OF THE  PAYMENT FUNDS INTO THE SWITZERLAND ACCOUNT(UBS) AG BANKING SWITZERLAND.
 
YOU SHOULD NOTE THAT BY THE AUTHORITIES OF THE PRESIDENCY, AND IN LINE WITH THE ENABLING DECREE OF 512 "A" IN CONSULTATION WITH THE RELEVANT BODIES; THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN), THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE (NEIC) AND THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE (FMF), WE HAVE RESOLVED THAT ALL OVERDUE INHERITANCE PAYMENTS BE RELEASED  THIS QUARTER IN ABSOLUTE OBEDIENCE TO THE I.M.F AND WORLD BANK MANDATORY CONDITIONALITIES OF SERVICE TO OUR FOREIGN CAPITAL DEBTS. BASED ON THIS, THIS OFFICE HAS BEEN MANDATED BY THE PRESIDENCY TO HANDLE ALL PAYMENTS  DUE TO FOREIGN INHERITANCE.GOING THROUGH YOUR RECORD WE FIND OUT THAT YOU HAVE SPENT SO MUCH MONEY WITH OUT RESULT THAT WAS WHY THE APEX WITH DIRECTIVE FROM THE PRESIDENCY HAS DECIDED TO HANDLE THIS PAYMENT BY THEMSELF.ALSO THROUGH OUR OBSERVATION WE FIND OUT THAT YOUR ATTORNEY  ALSO MAKING THINGS HARD, THATS, WHY YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED THIS FUND.
 
YOU SHOULD THEREFORE DISREGARD ANY CORRESPONDENCE THAT YOU MAY HAVE OR MAY COME TO YOU FROM ANY OTHER PERSON OR DEPARTMENT.IF YOU REALLY NEED THIS MONEY BECAUSE WE HAVE GONE THROUGH YOUR FILE AND WE FIND OUT THAT YOU ARE THE ORIGINAL BENEFICIARY OF THE  PAYMENT  FUND.PLEASE ASSIST US TO EXPEDITE  ACTION AND GET BACK TO ME IMMEDIATELY YOU RECEIVE THIS MAIL NOW.
 
I AM  WAITING FOR YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE AND CO-OPERATION.
 
YOURS FAITHFULLY,
 
Rev Don White
INTERNTIONAL REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT.

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