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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: "IMF OFFICE" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrs_felicia_young@att.net>
Date: Tue, 30 Nov 2010 15:31:17 -0000
Subject: DID YOU APPOINT JOHN WHEELER TO CLAIM YOUR INHERITANCE

(london Office),
18 Victoria Street London
SW1H 0NN United Kingdom.
Telex: +447700032204.

OFFICE OF MRS. FELICIA YOUNG.
DIRECTOR: IMF WORLD FUND DISCOVERY MANAGEMENT AND PAYMENT BUREAU.

Dear Beneficiary,
Payment Ref: IMF/WFSA-2010-11.

This Notice is brought to you from IMF World Fund Discovery Management and
Payment Bureau newly invented by the World Financial Service Authority, This
body was set up to discover an outstanding unpaid fund being owned to
Governments or Individuals all over the world through Contract Payment and
International Social Securities, Inheritance and Lottery Winning Prize Awards
as well as health Insurance and compensation payment for the end of the year
2010.

It will interest you to know that we have discovered an outstanding unpaid
sum of TEN MILLION AND EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS
($10,800,000.00 USD) on a file in favor of your name has been given to this
body to ensure that this fund gets to you without any delay, We also want to
bring to your notice that there is presently a counter claims on your
compensation funds valued $10,800,000.00 USD by one JOHN WHEELER, who is
presently trying to make us believe that you are dead and even claimed that
you entered into an agreement with him to help you in receiving your fund, So
here comes a question you need to answer immediately your Inheritance fund is
released in favor of Mr. John Wheeler.

Did you sign any Deed of Assignment in favor of (JOHN WHEELER) thereby making
him your Trustee and Next of kin to receive your fund on your behalf and MR.
JOHN WHEELER has also given us a scanned Copy Of his United States
International Passport and Bank Account information for a quick transfer of
your fund while we are still waiting for you to urgently confirm MR. JOHN
WHELLER'S claims because if we do not hear from you within the next few
Working days from today, we will honor MR. JOHN WHEELER a rightful owner of
the approved $10,800,000.00 USD.

In case you did not appoint MR. JOHN WHEELER and you want to take advantage
of your overdue compensation/contract payment, you are advised to urgently
confirm to this office with the information as requested below so that we
will be able process the final release of your fund to your respected account
in your Country Accordingly to avoid false claim.

1. Your Full Name _________________
2. Your Home Address: _____________
3. Your Home Telephone___________
4. Your Mobile Phone_______________
5. Fax Number: ___________________
6. Your Age and Sex_______________
7. Your Occupation_________________
8. Your Alternative E-mail Address__________
9. Your Nationality___________________

We are waiting for your urgent confirmation and we want you to provide us
with the above mentioned information so that we can process a swift transfer
of your Inheritance fund to your designated bank as you shall advice us while
we advised you to please keep every information here restrict confidential
until your finally receive your fund just to avoid false claim of your fund.

Please we also advised you to inform us if you have been dealing with persons
or organization regarding your Inheritance fund so that we can investigate
your transaction immediately and have your fund successfully transferred to
your existing account in your Country.

Thanks.
Yours in Service,
Mrs. Felicia Young
Director,
IMF-World Fund Discovery and Payment Bureau.
Sender's name: IMF OFFICE

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