joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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: "Williams" (may be fake)
Date: Wed, 11 Aug 2010 14:19:07 -0700
Subject: INHERITANCE NOTIFICATION OF PAYMENT BY ATM MASTER CREDIT CARD

FROM THE DESK OF AKINTUNDE WILLIAMS
CHAIRMAN BOARD OF DEBT SETTLEMENT
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA).
LAGOS-NIGERIA.
TEL: +234-1-4746820
                                                                                                  NOTIFICATION OF PAYMENT BY ATM MASTER CREDIT CARD
 
Attn: Beneficiary,
We hereby officially notifying you about the present arrangement to pay you, your overdue contract/inheritance fund which you could not complete the process of the released of your transfer pin code through the Digitalized Payment System. We have decided to pay your funds without any delay, the payment will be through (Central Bank ATM Master Express Credit Card) Which will enable our customer receive the money anywhere in the world.
This arrangement was initiated/constituted by the World Bank and Paris Club, due to fraudulent activities going on within the establishment.
For your information Did you broker your debt to one Mr. Joseph of Sophos Pty Ltd? Did you sign any "Deed of Assignment" in his favour, thereby making him the current beneficiary with the following account details?
Account Name: Sophos Pty Ltd .
Bank Name: National Australia Bank Limited in Asia, 
Account Number: 117678543,                                                            
Swift Code: SCBL 11K111.
If not, that is the reason why we have decided to get across through your email, as this was the only details in our files as at the time of sending this email.
The World Bank and Paris Club introduced this payment arrangement as to enable our contractors/inheritance beneficiary to receive their fund without any interference. The Central Bank ATM Master Express Credit Card was contracted and powered by GOLD CARD WORLD WIDE.
You are advised to urgently reconfirm the following information to us for Security reason.
1) YOUR FULL NAME
2) YOUR RECEIVING ADDRESS.
3) YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER
4) YOUR PROFESSION
5) YOUR AGE.
Upon the receipt of this email and confirmation of the requested details, your ATM card will be loaded with funds in total value of $5.500,000 (Five Million Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollars).
The scan copy of Central Bank ATM card will be sent to you for final confirmation before proceed for despatch directly to your home address.
Contact the ATM CARD Department
 
JOHN UKO
Email To Contact (john.uko@execs.com)
CONGRATULATIONS IN ADVANCE.
Best Regards,
Akintunde  Williams
(Chairman Board of Debt Settlement)

Anti-fraud resources: