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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: "Ahmed Hamzah" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ahmedhamzah07@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Sat, 5 Nov 2011 01:53:35 +0800
Subject: INSTRUCTION TO RELEASE YOUR INHERITANCE

YOUR PAYMENT NOTIFICATION
INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND (IMF)
MALAYSIA
Ahmed Hamzah


INSTRUCTION TO RELEASE YOUR INHERITANCE FUND OF $28.6M


This is to intimate you of a very important information which will be
of a great help to redeem you from all the difficulties you have been
experiencing in getting your long over due payment due to excessive
demand for money from you by both corrupt Bank officials and Courier
Companies after which your fund remain unpaid to you.

I am Ahmed Hamzah a highly placed official of the International
Monetary Fund (IMF). It may interest you to know that reports have
reached our office by so many correspondences on the uneasy way which
people like you are treated by Various Banks cross Europe to Africa
and Asia /London UK and we have decided to put a stop to that and that
is why I was appointed to handle your transaction here in Asia.

All Governmental and Non-Governmental prostates, N.G.Os, Finance
Companies, Banks, Security Companies and Courier companies which have
been in contact with you of late have been instructed to back up from
your transaction and you have been advised NOT to respond to them
anymore since the IMF is now directly in charge of your payment.

The most annoying thing is that the bad officials wont tell you the
truth that on no account will they ever release the fund to you,
instead they allow you spend money unnecessarily, I do not intend to
work here all the days of my life, I can release this fund to you if
you can guarantee me that you will follow my instructions without
remorse.

You are hereby advised NOT to remit further payment to any
institutions with respect to your transaction as your fund will be
delivered to you in your house by a reputable Diplomat.

I hope this is clear. Any action contrary to this instruction is at
your own risk. Respond to this e-mail with immediate effect and we
shall give you further details on how your fund will be released.

Reconfirm the information bellow

1. Full Name:
2. Address:
3. Nationality:
4. Age: Date of Birth:
5. Occupation:
6. Phone: Mobile/Cellular.....................Fax:..
7. State of Origin:
8. Copy of your identity Card


YOURS SINCERELY,
Ahmed Hamzah

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