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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: "Dr. Mrs. Sarah Alade." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <drsaraalade1@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Sat, 4 Sep 2010 08:03:38 +0300
Subject: Change of account

Central Bank of Nigeria
Tinubu-Square.
Ref: SRD/CBX/021/10

Attention:

Your inheritance fund! This is to notify you that your over due inheritance funds has been scheduled to be released, via key telex transfer (KTT) -direct wire transfer to you. Meanwhile, a woman Ms. Janet White came to my office few days ago with a letter, claiming to be your true representative here with information bellow:

Name Janet White
Bank name: Citibank
Bank address: Arizona, USA.
Account number: 6503809478.

Please, re-confirm to this office if this woman is from you or not, because the federal government will not be held responsible for paying your inheritance fund into wrong account name, if this woman is not your representative, you are device to fill the form bellow and send to me for verification purposes so that your fund valid at US$10,500,000.00 will be remitted into your nominated bank account.

1. Your full name:
2. Your full address:
3. Your telephone:
4. Phone:
5. Age:
6. Sex:
7. Occupation:
8. Your desired bank account (might be opened for this purpose):

As soon as you fill the above form, we’ll commence with all necessary procedure to remit your fund into your account. However we shall proceed to make payment to the said Ms. Janet White, if we do not hear from you.

Sincerely,

Dr. Mrs. Sarah Alade.
Cc: Federal ministry of finance
Cc: Accountant general of Nigeria
Cc: World Bank

Anti-fraud resources: