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: "Federal Bureau of Investigation" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <robert.fbi@centrum.cz>
Date: Tue, 28 Feb 2012 06:43:13 +1030
Subject: Your urgent response is needed.

ANTI-TERRORIST AND MONITORY CRIMES DIVISION
FBI   HEADQUARTERS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
J. EDGAR HOOVER BUILDING
935 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, NW WASHINGTON, D.C. 20535-0001
Phone/Fax: 206-337-5630
 
This is to officially inform you that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has wired the sum of Ten Million, Five hundred thousand U.S Dollars ($10,500,000.00) into the United States of America in your name as the beneficiary.
 
The said fund is still under intense investigation from this office regarding its source.
 
The CBN knowing fully well that they do not have enough facilities to effect this payment  directly into your account, used what we know as a secret diplomatic transit payment (S.D.T.P) to pay this  fund through wire transfer.
 
However, Secret diplomatic transfer payments are normally funds related to drug/terrorist and money laundering system of payment.
 
The Question now is why must your payment be made in such secret transfer? If your transaction is legitimate and not related to drug/terrorism, why can't the CBN effect direct transfer into your account?
 
Due to the increased difficulties and thorough scrutiny by the American authorities when funds come in through such payment process from Europe, Africa and Middle East and based on the records we have had in the past, such method of payment has always been identified as drug/ terrorist/money laundering funds.
 
However, in line with the United States policy on funds transfer, as soon as these funds are transferred into the United States, it is our compulsory obligations to establish the credentials and official recognition of these funds before final crediting into your account.
 
For these reasons therefore, you are advised to contact the United States Funds Monitory unit, a sub-division of the US Treasury department for the certificate of funds legality.
 
Failure to provide this document within 3 days will warrant us to confiscate these funds and further charge you for money laundering offense.
 
We will allow the funds to be released into your account as soon as you make provision for the essential document.
 
 
Yours faithfully,
 
Robert S. Mueller, III
Director Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Anti-fraud resources: