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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: Chief Accountant General <accntantgen@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:06:27 -0800 (PST)
Subject: YOUR COMPENSATION PAYMENT OF US$500,000.00















      CHIEF ACCOUNTANT GENERAL OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA     
FROM DR. JAMES OBI
CHIEF ACCOUNTANT GENERAL OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
Federal Secretariat Towers (5th & 10th floors)
 Shehu Shagari Way, Central Area, Garki, Abuja.
 
Dear Sir/Madam, 
  
Greetings to you and members of your family.

You may not really understand why this email is coming to you. I am Dr. James Obi, from the Office of the Chief Accountant General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
            
Due to series of petitions received from International Organisations and foreign individuals on claims of fraud perpetrated on them, most of which emanating from Nigeria or its friendly network in Europe, Asia and other parts of Africa, taking over all or part of the entire life savings of their victims, the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria and my Office representing the Federal Government of Nigeria have had series of meetings with the Secretary-General to the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki-moon. This meeting has been holding for nearly 3 months now, but ended a few days ago with an objective of compensating selected fraud victims, whose information and deals with fraudsters was provided to us by the United Nations Internet and Telecommunication Activities Mornitoring Team.
 
Being the outcome of our meeting,we are sending this message to selected fraud victims who has been scammed by various means. The United Nations have therefore agreed to compensate them with the sum of US$500, 000. 00 (Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars only) each. This includes some foreign contractors and inheritors that could not receive their contract or inheritace payments, and people that have had unfinished transactions or international businesses that failed due to strict Government policies, those whose bank account was hacked, appartment scam etc. And you are lucky to be one of those selected.
 
Your contact details fell on the list of lucky fraud victims provided to us by the United Nations, being the reason why we are contacting you.It has however been agreed upon that you receive your payment with immediate effect following approvals received from the Central Bank of Nigeria in affiliation with the United Nations.
 
You are hereby advised to get back to us as soon as possible, to enable us instruct the Central Bank of Nigeria which is the United Nations Paying bank here in West Africa to pay you.

Congratulations!
 
  Yours Faithfully,
 


DR.  JAMES OBI
Chief Accountant General (Federal Republic of Nigeria)
Central Area, Garki
Abuja.

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