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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: "A.S.P Isa Benjamin" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <jerry_balogun@aol.com>
Date: Thu, 5 Jan 2012 21:00:47 +0400
Subject: RE: ILLEGAL DEALINGS WITH UNAUTHORIZED PAYMENT OFFICERS

ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIME COMMISSION
15A Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos. Nigeria.
Force Headquarters,
Ikoyi - Lagos

Our Ref:………………………………

RE: ILLEGAL DEALINGS WITH UNAUTHORIZED PAYMENT OFFICERS

Following series of petitions received from Nigerian Foreign Contractors and based on our investigation on foreign contract payments, we are glad to inform you that we are

aware of your illegal contact/dealing made to you by some impersonators claiming to be Attorneys, Vice President, President, Bank directors, Ministers and Directors of different

offices in Nigeria.

On the findings, we contacted the office of the President Federal Republic of Nigeria Chief Goodlock Jonathan (GCON), and the secretary to the Federal Government, Chief Uffot

Ekaette, to find out the real officers in charge, or those who oversees foreign contract payment here in Nigeria and we were made to understand that the only authorized officer

appointed and mandated by the presidency is Mr. Jerry Balogun (Foreign Opperational department, UPS Courier Services Nigeria) who can be reached on

Email : upscourier@upspost.org
Email: jerry_balogun@aol.com

this is an official advice from the Nigerian Government, foreign remittance/telegraphic dept. (frtd), it has come to our notice that the ADB (African development banks) and

European banks and central bank of south Africa known as the (reserve bank of south Africa) has released your part of inheritance/ payment of $2.500,000.00 U.S dollars (Two

million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars) on your name as the beneficiary by Confirmable Bank Draft.

In view of this notice, you are advice to stop further communication with any other person unless you are directed to do so by the appointed officer as stated above, this is for

your own best interest as we will not be responsible for any malpractices. We have started thorough investigation into the fraudulent dealings with the names of the officers as

submitted to us by various contractors and the telephone numbers that they gave to you disguising to be the numbers of genuine officers concerned. Please you are advised

not to call this numbers for any reason whatsoever.

You are advised to contact Mr. Jerry Balogun (Foreign Opperational department, UPS Courier Services Nigeria) who can be reached on above Telephone number and email

address with all your contact details in regards to your payments, as he is the authorized person mandated by the Federal Government of Nigeria to Dispatch your Approved

Confirmable Draft you.

In this regards, you should immediately contact Mr. Jerry Balogun with your fully contact details to proceed for your payment.

Finally, you have been warned of this great misconduct by this ungrateful Nigerians. Do comply accordingly with the above directives and contact the above named officer for

your Confirmable Draft, from now. We have equally sent a signal to the CIA and FBI in America and other Agencies in the world to assist us in apprehending these impostors.

The EFCC is eagerly looking forward for the culprits for prosecution. The police is your friend, help us to serve you better.

Thanks

A.S.P Isa Benjamin
Investigation Officer
International Payment Monitoring Unit

Cc: The Presidency
Cc: Federal Bureau of Investigation
Cc: Federal Ministry of Justice

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