419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

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:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "clearance certificate" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "mtcn" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "clearance certificate" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "consignment " (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "hundred thousand us dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "you are advise to" (this email uses bad English)
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- inspectorgeneralofpolicej@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE <dhg4342@peoplepc.com>
Reply-To: INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE <inspectorgeneralofpolicej@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 7 Sep 2010 15:13:56 -0700 (GMT-07:00)
Subject: Read this mail well and get back to us with the $97 usd to enable
our agent get the certificate tomorrow morning as we told you ok

FROM HEAD QUARTER POLICE STATION
ZOGBO COTONOU INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE BENIN REPUBLIC WEST AFRICA. E-MAIL/(inspectorgeneralofpolicej@yahoo.com)

Attention Beneficiary;

My name is Mr. Joseph Benson. the Inspector General of Police Benin Republic, This is to inform you that the government of this country Benin Republic are sending you the sum of ($500,000.00 USD) Five Hundred Thousand US Dollars which you have lost in before because you have been waiting to receive it from Mr. John Adam . We got him arrested today because he did not follow the instruction given to him by Federal Government of Benin republic. The government is rewarding these funds as one of the scam victim. We got your email through those that extort money from you when the police got them arrested; one of them gave us your email address.

The president of this country His Excellency Mr.Yayi Boni has sent aside the sum of ($500,000.00 USD) in consignment to send to you through Dhl Courier Company. We thereby have made a concrete arrangement with the DHL Courier Company for a safe delivery to your door-step once the beneficiary meets up the demand of the conveyance. Note that all the delivery fee has been paid on your behalf but you are advise to send only $97,00 dollar immediately to our office for your clearance certificate because our agent will proceed to Du'Benin High Court first thing tomorrow morning so that he should get the certificate before your consignment will leave this country.

The DHL Courier agent will use the certificate to obtain the transaction. So you advice to confirm your information immediately for delivery of your consignment and also to enable our office confirm that you are the real owner of this E-mail address to avoid any mistake. If you know that you are not the owner of this consignment box don't try to contact because if you dare you will be arrested like those people below.

Your Full Name.......
Your Country........
Your City............
You’re Telephone Number.........
The Amount You Lost..........
Your Passport..........................

Below is where you can send the $97.00 to our protocol officer.

Receiver's Name.....Jude Chinedu
Country...............Benin Republic
City...............Cotonou
Text Question..........Thank
Answer.............God
Amount. $97,00

After payment you send details as below.
senders name.................
Mtcn.....................................

Here are the SCAMMERS that were arrested; Mr. Jerry Harrison, Chief Mrs. Amanda Morgan, Mrs Canister Ekpwele, Michael Robert, Mr. John Adam and Prince John Anderson, Johnson hill, Martin David, Amed Bello in case you will recognize them.

Thanks
Mr. Joseph Benson

________________________________________ PeoplePC Online A better way to Internet http://www.peoplepc.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam