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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: "Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mr.donaldness@ymail.com>
Date: Tue, 10 Apr 2012 09:37:02 -0700
Subject: IMMEDIATE CONTRACT PAYMENT NOTIFICATION:

Dear Contractor/Beneficiary, IMMEDIATE CONTRACT PAYMENT NOTIFICATION: We have on this year, 2012 received a payment credit instruction from the Federal Government of Nigeria in collaboration with IMF and World Bank to credit your account with your full contract funds valued at $10.3M (Ten Million Three Hindered Thousand United States Dollars) from the government reserve account with our bank through which is to be transferred to you via an ATM MASTER CARD. This is to notify you that your funds have been programmed for immediate release into your NON-PROCESSED CERTIFIED ATM MASTER CARD. Be informed that every arrangement regarding your cash payment through ATM MASTER CARD services has been made. Kindly re-confirm to me the followings for onward processing of your Master Card: 1) Your Contact Names in Full....................................... 2) Phone, Fax and Mobile........................................ 3) Name, Position and Address....................................... 4) Your Profession………………………………… 5) Age and Marital Status............................... As soon as the above mentioned details are received, your payment will be made to you via OUR ATM MASTER CARD in accordance to World Bank and IMF recommendations. Lastly, the instructions on how to use this ATM MASTER CARD will be sent to you as soon as we get a signal from you base on your Fund. Yours Faithfully, Executive Director REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Contact person Dr. Donald Ness Email; mr.donaldness@ymail.com

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