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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: "Office of the President" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <tundemart.adviser@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 30 Mar 2012 23:51:15 -0700
Subject: ATTN: BENEFICIARY ONLY

Office of the President.
Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Special Adviser to the President
Int'l Debt Reconciliation.
 
Dear Beneficiary,
 
I have been mandated to inform you that your contract/inheritance payment is ready for pick up. After the re-validation of your payment release order, I wish to apologize on behalf of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the delay in the release of your fund and the attendant inconveniences we
might have caused you.
 
The delay was due to irregularities on you contract papers, which we suspect was deliberately done by corrupt officials in connivance with some unscrupulous elements in the civil service. However your payment is now officially ready and will be released to you via any of our accredited offshore banking partners in Europe. Note here that we are employing just Three systems of payments, namely:SWIFT DEBT DEBIT/CREDIT CARD PAYMENT SYSTEM.SWIFT ONLI NE BANK TRANSFER SYSTEM. SWIFT COURIER DELIVERY SYSTEM. PLS CHOOSE THE OPTION SUITABLE TO YOU
 
We have authorized only the Central Bank and its foreign affiliate Banks to effect your payment, which according to our estimation is valued at Twelve million United States dollars ($12MUSD). We greatly advise you to stop all contacts with any person promising to release your fund and report same to us immediately. After this notice the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will not be held liable for the loss of your contract fund.
 
Please for the avoidance of doubt; reconfirm the following personal information to us:
 
Your names....
Contact address...
Name of Next of Kin ....
Telephone and Fax numbers....
Copy of any Int'l Passport, Driver License or any valid ID.
 
Finally confirm to us the method of payment suitable to you.
 
We wait to hear from you as soo n as possible.
 
Yours Sincerely,
 
Tunde Martins.
Special Adviser to the President
Int'l Debt Reconciliation.

Anti-fraud resources: