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: "JOHN ABOH" (may be fake)
Date: Mon, 15 Aug 2011 09:23:00 -0700
Subject: PAYMENT UPDATE

Attn:
 
The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has directed and ordered that the huge sum of money recovered from some Nigerian fraudsters arrested recently should be returned to their respective foreign-owners with immediate effect. So if you are already a fraud victim through any Nigerian or if you are a foreign contractor and you have executed any contract with any Nigerian and you have not been paid please report via this email.
 
First Bank Of Nigeria PLC has been mandated to verify all the transactions and re-fund all the money recovered from these fraudsters to their respective owners. All Foreign Affairs Files has been handed over to our Bank for official use.
We cannot determine the actual amount to pay  the victims of these frauds because most of the transactions were long in the past and as a result this The Federal Government of Nigeria and The Central Bank of Nigeria has approved the payment of US$7M (US$7,000,000)SEVEN MILLION US DOLLARS as compensation to all published beneficiaries.
 
Your email-address is among the enlisted beneficiaries published for proper verification and immediate payment. If you  have lost money to Nigeria through fraud or you have any other way which you have lost money to Nigeria Please, reply to our mail for confirmation so that we can begin processing the payment and transfer of your money to your custody. The Federal Government and The Central Bank of Nigeria has directed our Bank; First Bank of Nigeria to prepare the Transfer your money to your custody.
 
I, John Aboh has been appointed by the Bank,s Management Authority to supervise this exercise. I will help you process and transfer your money into your Local Bank Account in your country.
 
After the transfer, you will confirm your money in your bank account within 5-hours same day; no stoppage from any Government departments as the transfer will be done within the bank alone and it is very safe.
 
Send to me through this e-mail address:
 
jhnbabh@ymail.com your:
 
Full Name;
House/Office contact address;
Phone and Fax Number;
The Name of your Bank,  and your Bank Account Number of where you will like to receive your $7Million-USD.
 
When you send the above information, we will open a domiciliary for you, we will take your file and your domiciliary account details which we have opened for you to the presidency for clearance and ratification and then to the Telex section of the Central Bank of Nigeria where your money will be wired directly to your Local Bank in your country.
 
Awaiting your quick response.
 
Yours truly,
JOHN O. ABOH
FBN

Anti-fraud resources: