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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:

Fraud email example:

From: "Central Bank of Nigeria" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <daugpaul@aol.com>
Date: Sun, 12 Sep 2010 01:19:11 -0400
Subject: Still expecting your response on this issue

CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR
TELEX / COMPUTER DEPARTMENT
TINUBU SQUARE
LAGOS - NIGERIA

CABLE: CENBANK NG
CONTACT NUMBER: 234-7066263866 (24 HOURS)
PRIVATE EMAIL: daugpaul@aol.com
URGENT
DEAR SIR,
MY NAME IS MR. PAUL DOUGLAS OF THE TELEX / COMPUTER DEPARTMENT OF THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA. I AM SENDING THIS PRIVATE E-MAIL BASED ON THE CONFIDENTIAL NATURE OF THE TRANSACTION. PLEASE I WILL LIKE TO ADVISE THAT IF AFTER GOING THROUGH MY PROPOSAL AND YOU DO NOT ACCEPT IT, KINDLY KEEP IT TO YOURSELF.

I AM STILL IN SERVICE WITH THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN) AND I WOULD NOT LIKE TO LOSE MY JOB. AS I FOUND OUT THAT YOU ALMOST MET ALL THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS OF THE CBN IN RESPECT OF YOUR CONTRACT PAYMENT. YOUR PROBLEM IS THAT OF INTEREST GROUPS. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN YOUR PAYMENT AND THOSE PEOPLE ARE MERELY DOING PAPER WORK WITH YOU AND THAT EXPLAINS WHY YOU RECEIVE EMAIL AND PHONE MESSAGES FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN NIGERIA EVERYDAY.

THEIR WHOLE GAME PLAN IS TO FRUSTRATE YOU INORDER FOR YOU TO ABANDON THE CONTRACT PAYMENT AND THEN THEY WILL BE COMFORTABLE AND FREE ENOUGH TO TRANSFER THE CONTRACT FUNDS INTO THEIR OVERSEAS ACCOUNT. HENCE, YOU HAVE LOST TRUST ON WHOM TO BELIEVE TO BE GENUINE. TO SUM IT UP, I WISH TO ASSURE YOU THAT WITH MY POSITION HERE IN THE TELEX DEPARTMENT I CAN PUNCH THE COMPUTER AND CREDIT YOUR ACCOUNT STRAIGHT WITHIN FIVE (5) WORKING DAYS. FIRST OF ALL, YOU HAVE TO LET ME KNOW HOW MUCH YOU WILL GIVE ME AT THE CONSUMMATION OF THIS DEAL.
FINALLY, YOU WILL HAVE TO ACCEPT TO KEEP THIS TRANSACTION STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL, IF YOU ACCEPT MY PROPOSAL, KINDLY GET BACK TO ME IMMEDIATELY ON MY ABOVE PRIVATE MAIL, daugpaul@aol.com OR PRIVATE
NUMBER: 234-7066263866
EVEN IF YOU DO NOT ACCEPT MY OFFER, I WILL SINCERELY ADVISE YOU TO FIND TIME YOURSELF TO COME AND REGULARIZE YOUR DEFECTIVE DOCUMENTS INSTEAD OF FRUITLESS EXCHANGE OF FAX MESSAGES WITH OFFICES HERE.
WHEN REPLYING THIS EMAIL, PLEASE RE-CONFIRM YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONE
NUMBERS, AND EMAIL ADDRESS.

REGARDS.
MR. PAUL DOUGLAS


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