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joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Dr. Sarah Alade\(FMF\)." <workingoffice.drsarahaalade@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 28 Apr 2010 06:25:41 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Your fund Relese,
Dear Sir,
I am Dr. Sarah Alade ; I work with CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA. I am member of the new appointed committee for the FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE. I was directed to contact you by the Minister to urgently confirm from you if actually you know one Dr.Kayode Naiyeju and who claim to be your business associate/partner in Nigeria.
The said Dr.Kayode Naiyeju and is claiming to us that you are dead and he will like to change all the Information's that you gave to us as our bonafide beneficiary. This development is coming now that the Ministry wants to offset all your outstanding payments to all our legal origin beneficiaries' around the world in which your payment file was affected.
As you may know, the total amount in your favor is a total sum of $18 Million U.S Dollars. We need to confirm from you if it's really true that you are dead and if we did not hear from you it automatically means that you are actually dead and the information passed to us by Dr.Kayode Naiyeju and is correct before we will be able to send signal for approval of the part-payment in accordance with section 290 Act 166 OF 2008.
You are to contact me through my email address as soon as you receive this message so as to know the true position of things with you so that we would not make any mistake in remitting your out-standing payment to a wrong person/account.
Your swift response will help this ministry a lot. Do email me with your full particulars and direct phone number for an easy communication, your age and occupation to this effect in furtherance to these verifications.
Best Regards.
Dr. Sarah Alade
The Federal Minister Finance (FMF).
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Anti-fraud resources:
