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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: AMERICA EMBASSY <mrssandrajohnson112@gmail.com>
Reply-To: moneygram08037@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2012 03:51:21 -0800
Subject: Contact Money Gram For your Payment

http://photos.state.gov/libraries/nigeria/231771/Photos/nigeria_pepfarlogo.jpg

Embassy of the United States of America
Plot 1075 Diplomatic Drive
Central District Area, Abuja.
Email:usaembassytye@live.com
Telephone: (234)-80-3277-6923
Fax: (234)-0-411-4171


ATTN:

Welcome to the United States Of America Embassy Nigeria, we are here
to represent, protect the legal interest of every American and the
businesses of every Foreigner and especially to the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization (NATO) member country Citizens domiciled here in
Lagos, Nigeria .

I am Ambassador Terence P. McCulley, the new US Ambassador to Nigeria,
Having resumed office two months ago, I discovered that your file was
among the uncompleted western union transfer handed over to me by my
predecessor Ambassador Stella Gaylaeatha Bush as an unfinished
project before she left for another appointment by the Bureau of
Consular affairs and the department of state hence your file was
minuted and recorded as an uncompleted transaction at western union.

Prior to this, I have made it a mandate to see that you receive your
funds of $1.5M in my regime as I shall leave no stone unturned to
making sure that you get your funds before this year runs out.

I write to inform you of the breaking news about your Inheritance
fund of ($1.5M) that was deposited at Western Union from the financial
regulatory bodies of this country as your compensation token, from
their report I gathered that your Inheritance fund which was scheduled
to have been remitted and transferred to you through Western Union
office Nigeria which was boycotted by some corrupt officials of
Western Union with the intention of diverting your funds into their
private account hence they went on asking you to pay endless money due
to their poor and corrupt management attitude.

However, I got the Nigeria International Criminal Police Organization
(INTERPOL) involve for investigation, and in their bid to launch a
full scale investigation into the saga, they found out that the reason
why you were swindled in the past and still not been able to receive
your fund till today was because you were dealing with the wrong
people, unscrupulous elements, and importers that were impersonating
and working for Western Union. Prior to that I have order for the
arrest of all those who were involved in that western union branch.

Having said that we held an emergency meeting with the Government of
Nigeria, and it was resolved that you shall be receiving $5000USD each
day until your total fund is finished within the calculated break
down of Fourteen (14) weeks by money gram transfer.

Furthermore, we have summon the amalgamated union governing all the
Western Union stores in this country and I have ordered their Chairman
to hands off the transfer so that Money Gram office shall complete
the transfer hence your funds of $1.5M has been referred to Money
Gram International Money Transfer at Rue 29085 Nzager Kolonbo Street,
New heaven Off Chez Paprie, Lagos , Nigeria.

Here is their contact information ;
Mr. George Tallman
moneygram08037@hotmail.com
+2348032-34-1415

Though the VAT charges that you were supposed to pay was initially on
the high price but has been cut down to $199 by the USA Embassy in
Nigeria as part of our corporate social responsibility to considering
the poor economic situations that make it difficult for the middle
class citizens to meet up with the VAT of their entitlement.

Note that the $199 usd is the only money that you shall pay to Mr.
George Tallman of Money gram store before they shall start sending you
the Originals of the payment details that shall enable you pick up
your first $5000USD from any Money Gram Store in your city.

Note that the $199 usd is compulsory for you to pay them as it was
agreed in the meeting that you have to pay the $199 which will serve
as re-confirmation to your original file from Western union, Meanwhile
you are advised to reconfirm the below information to Money Gram upon
contacting them to avoid wrong transfer.

1. Your Full Name: ...................................
2. Your Direct Cell No: .............................
3. Your Home Address: ............................
4. Your City: ..............................................
5. Your Country: .......................................

Note that you are expected to pay only $199 for re-confirmation of
your file and you are to pay it to Money Gram Nigeria as the
origination of the Fund in the favor of Mr. George Tallman. Send the
$199 through Money Gram once you receive this email with the
information below for reconfirmation of your file that will enhance
the release of your Fund which includes the VAT.

Receivers -----------Name: Mr. Ezebilo Offordile .
Country:-------------Nigeria
City: -----------------Lagos
Test Question:------ What For?
Answer:------------- Vat
Amount: ------------$199 usd


Once you send the money, try to notify them with the Reference Number
for easy pick up and for immediate action on the release of your
$5000USd and your subsequent payments. Note that any unclaimed funds
will be return to the Government of Nigeria after 21days.

So you are urgently advised to comply with our directives so that you
shall receive your fund without stress again.

Yours Faithfully,
http://nigeria.usembassy.gov/uploads/images/AApqHHMjlEolz0vv85UtSA/AmbassadorTerenceMcCulleyX640.jpg
Ambassador Terence P. McCulley U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria

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