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: "Federal Bureau of Investigation" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <us.treasury@washingtondc.usa.com>
Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 00:47:40 -0700
Subject: Security Instruction On Foreign Payment (Report Number: USA/IMF/7890/121)

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
26 Federal Plaza, 23rd Floor
New York, NY 10278-0004
Washington, D.C. 20535-0001
Tel: +1 (631) 604-0526
 
Friday, August 27, 2010
 
INTELLIGENCE REPORT NUMBER: USA/IMF/7890/121
SECURITY INSTRUCTION ON FOREIGN PAYMENT
 
We have gathered all security intelligence report from the International Crime Police Organization that recently, there was a court decision that favored you in getting your funds back from international banks that are withholding your funds. Although you are hearing from us for the first time, we have been working very hard for you and making progress on our research on why international banks has failed to completely credit funds into your bank account.
 
We have also taken time to review your online email communication messages on your unsuccessful transactions with most European and other foreign banks in Africa and we wish to let you know that we have communicated with most of these foreign banks that withheld most international payments to individual accounts so as to find out why these funds were withheld and the source of the funds.
 
Conclusively, we discovered that most of these withheld and/or unpaid funds being remitted to individual accounts abroad originated from lottery organizations, international trading companies and deceased personals.
 
Such transfer suspension was placed on these funds because majority of these international fund remittance/transfer of over the total sum of $500,000 and above to private individuals account abroad, usually carried out by foreign Banks, Private or Commercial Courier Companies were never properly recorded by the paying institution for future file reference/assessment by Crime Monitoring Units/Agencies.
 
In joint alliance with the HMRC Treasury Europe, the European Financial Service Commission & the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to resolve this issue and also find out a solution for your fund case, we wish to let you know that we they have approved to release only the total sum of Seven Million United States Dollars ($7,000,000.00 USD) from the Treasury Department in order to enable you start up your own business.
 
Please note that we are working with the International Government Agencies to make sure that your funds are released by the International Monetary Fund after proper clarification of your insurance documents are observed. In case you doubt this transaction and believe that we are giving you false information about the reports filed against you by other supporting International Crime Investigation Agencies whom the FBI is awaiting international instruction to apprehend and interrogate on abandoned unclaimed international fund as informed to make this document certification, kindly contact the U.S Department of the Treasury on the information below to confirm the authenticity of this information and forward them a copy of your fund payment application case file report number: USA/IMF/7890/121 for assistance on your inquiry.
 
The U.S. Department of the Treasury
1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20220
Telephone +1-(206) 701-6610
Fax Number: +1-(586) 816-2452
 
Through the assistance of the International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO) to investigate and release suspended, withheld and/or unpaid Inheritance/Award Winning/Contract funds to its beneficiaries account abroad, we were able to gain an approval authorization letter from the U.S Department of the Treasury which stated that your Seven Million Dollars ($7,000,000.00 USD) will be released to you on proper confirmation of its claim.
 
In response to this court decision, we got the Legislature to apply backward in time so that you can use the violation of the existing law to get your funds back through the U.S Department of the Treasury.
 
You need to apply for your fund payment by sending your personal information below along with a scanned copy of your international passport or drivers license to the U.S Department of the Treasury so that they will forward it for fund verification and payment.
 
PERSONAL DETAILS;
ANSWERS;
1. Your Full Name, Nationality & Current Location.
2. Your Age & Current Occupation.
3. Your Phone & Fax Number.
4.  Your ID Number (or Attach Identification Documents).
 
By the virtue of the provision of the law which confer us powers to advocate, adjudicate suspend and authorize an immediate transfer of your funds internationally, we hereby state emphatically and without prejudice that should there be any information that may succeed your application for fund release that are currently deposited in most European and other foreign banks, please do not hesitate to provide us the information so that we will know how to help you receive your funds.
 
Important Notice: Your inability to make this clarification for fund transfer with the U.S Department of the Treasury will continue to suspend your chances of receiving any international payment directed to your local bank account from any foreign bank until this clarification is made.
 
Failure to properly apply for the funds release for transfer to your bank account will nullify your chances of receiving international fund transfers from any existing foreign bank, and this funds will be confiscated and made to be forfeited under the Money Laundering and Other Financial Crime Prohibition Act of 2003.
 
Also note that the very heart of FBI operations lies in our investigations—which serve, as our mission states, "to protect and defend the United States against terrorist and foreign intelligence threats and to enforce the criminal laws of the United States." We currently have jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal law; you will have yourself to blame if you fail to comply within 48hours of receiving this security message. We have combated both international and domestic terrorism, money laundry and other disorders.
 
Email: ( Click here to eMail )
 
 
Best wishes,
 
Mr David Robinson,
Operating Officer
In Charge of this Excise.
Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Anti-fraud resources: