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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "FinCEN" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrsgladysd423@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2012 07:38:08 -0400
Subject: Expecting your prompt response.

Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN)
United States Department of the Treasury
1120 Connecticut Ave., NW. Network (FinCEN). Washington, DC USA
Read about us through the URL: (http://www.fincen.gov/
 
Attn: valued fund beneficiary,
 
This is officially to notify you personally, that we received a valued amount of funds to credit instruction from the federal government of Nigeria bank CBN to credit your account with your full inheritance fund sum of us$10.5million from the Nigerian federal reserve account with our bank federal reserve board USA.
However, we want you to send to us the (IRREVOCABLE PRESIDENTIAL RELEASE ORDER CERTIFICATE,CONTRACT DEED OF AGREEMENT BLUE PRINT AND 3 YEARS TAX CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE FROM FBIR.) as the real BENEFICIARY of this sell funds, be informed that as soon as we receive the above documents form you, the transfer will commence immediately trough our paying bank.
Your immediate response is highly needed to enable us commence for the transfer.
You are to forward the documents to us immediately if you have it in your possession, BUT if you don’t have it let us know immediately so that we can direct you where to obtain the documents and send to us immediately,
Therefore, you are advice to reconfirm your particulars such as
 
Your full name.
Your country.
Phone, fax and mobile #.
Company's name, position and address.
Profession, age and marital status.
Copy of int'l passport or any scanned identity to prove you.
 
Expecting your prompt response.
Yours in service.
James H. Freis, Jr.
FinCEN Director
Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN)
U.S.A
 

Anti-fraud resources: