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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: "Mr.. Zuma Douglas" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <zumdglas@gawab.com>
Date: Thu, 4 Nov 2010 14:47:46 +0400
Subject: From: The Secretary

From; The Secretary.
World Bank Auditors
Foreign Debts Reconciliation Committee
Dubai UAE.

Sir,

With regards to the above mentioned. I would like to bring to your notice the sudden changes in the particulars, beneficiary and signature in the inheritance approved payment file in your details. Through the appointment of the WORLD BANK AUDITORS, we as a Committee set up Here in Dubai UAE have been mandated to take over foreign payment owed by West African States. In this regard, I wish to notify you about a discovered fund which was deposited with a bank here in your favour for foreign project execution payment. Your information was indicated as the approved receiving beneficiary to this allocation.

The payment approved valued $5.5 million. Our paying team offshore has been trying the provided telephone numbers which is supposed to be yours for advice regarding the payment, but not has not communicated you as required. I want to know if they have finally gotten in touch with you, please quickly respond to this mail and confirm your direct contact telephone numbers that you can be communicated the information update about your payment.

Meanwhile, my concern of attempting to contact you today is because of an emergency and suspected application which was just filed to us, by a person claiming to be your representative, Mr. Alfred Smith of United Kingdom . The application was backed by a Power of Attorney, and this power of attorney supposedly to have come from you, and it was indicated that due to an automobile accident which you recently had that almost claimed your life that have made you to delegate him, MR. SMITH came to change your particulars and details as the beneficiary for receiving the approved fund payment in your favour to new CITI BANK OF NEW YORK, ACCOUNT NO: 652 007123 at (111 WALL STREET). He also initiated a move to replace previous information as the beneficiary with IMPROMUNDI UK LTD as the new and legitimate beneficiary nominated by you recently, please confirm if this request is really from you.

We require a final confirmation of facts from you to avoid wrongful payment or diversion of allocation to wrong beneficiary. We are taking our time in following this supposedly new directive from you therefore gets back as soon as you receive this information. The payment, which was approved, to pay out in your favour is ready for release soonest we finalise the required reconciliation with you as the original beneficiary in our record.

Having made these clarifications, do confirm if you provided MR. SMITH with the details about this your transaction. Also, subsequently equipped him with this said Power of Attorney to change the information as informed. You have been well informed, and I am expecting you to revert back or call as soon as you have received this information. To help make this faster I will appreciate you send the following for verification.

(1) Your full contact detail

(2) Your telephone and fax number(s)

(3) Your Occupation

(4) Your date and place of birth

(5) Scan your International passport or any of your ID

Yours faithfully,

Zuma Douglas. (Secretary)



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