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: MR JOEL TEHIE <info@joel.com>
Reply-To: joeltehiatmdept@gazeta.pl
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2010 09:52:55 -0600
Subject: FEDEX DELIVERY OF YOUR ATM MASTER CARD (D)

Attention Sir/Mandam
 
we wish to notify you that the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) has been in contact with the World Bank yesterday to verify the legality of this your transaction and every documentations and bank deposit statements were forwarded to them for investigation and confirmation.
 
We strongly believe that you shall be hearing back from them as soon as this transaction is confirmed by them FBI to enable us completes this transaction.
 
Sequel to this effect, Your ATM DEBIT CARD has been Successfully Loaded with a part payment of your Inheritance/Contract/Lottery Winning Funds Valued at the sum of $2.5M USD ( Two Million, Five Hundred United States Dollars), however an Instruction was passed over to this office from the office of the chairman African Union on financial matters that the funds which has been loaded into your ATM DEBIT CARD should not be tampered with by any governmental official since it has been approved by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Department of the United States that the exact funds Must be Delivered to your designated address via the FedEx Courier Service without any deduction made on it. The FBI and the African union have agreed to have the card delivered to you through no other mince than FedEx and the instruction for the delivery is stated below as you are advised to read carefully.
                                                           (FedEx DELIVERY)
                                            Approved Mailing cost  $ 98.00  00.00
                                             Insurance by IRS $ 00.00  00.00
                                                Card procssing fee $ 00.00  00.00
                                                          TOTAL $ 98.00  00.00
 
Be informed that your ATM DEBIT Card is Already Activated and ready for delivery to your Designated home address but the only delay is the cost that is associated to the delivery by FedEx which you are expected to send via western union/Money Gram money transfer today to our distinguished accounting officer as the information is stated below.
 
               WESTERN UNION/ MONEY GRAM PAYMENT INFORMATION:-
 
                                Receiver's Name.............MR. PRINCE EZEJI
                                  Receiver's Address............ Lagos-Nigeria.
                                        Text question....................what for?
                                         Text Answer........................Card
                            Amount to send ..................USD $98.00 (delivery cost)
                                    MTCN…………………..
 
Do reconfirm urgently the following information so that we can serve you better:
1.Your full name as you wish to apear on the ATM Card
2. Present contact Address
3. Day time and mobile telephone numbers
 
On the receipt of the USD$ 98.00 Dollars delivery cost will enable Your ATM DEBIT CARD be sent to you via FedEx courier service with the Tracking/Confirmation Numbers sent to you via E-mail so that you can monitor the arrival of the card to your designated home address.
 
You are hereby advised to make the Payment for the Delivery of Your ATM DEBIT CARD as soon as you receive this email to the listed Payment Information which has been provided to you above.
 
Call me immediately on +234 80 7055 2118 as soon as you are back from making the payment today.
 
CONGRATULATIONS ONCE AGAIN!!!
 
Mr. Joel Tehie
CALL ME ON +234 80 70552118
CHAIRMAN, FOREIGN PAYMENT RESOLUTION PANEL

Anti-fraud resources: