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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: "SIR. BRUCE HOFFMAN"<mr.brucehoffman122@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <mr.brucehoffman122@rediffmail.com>
Date: Thu, 10 May 2012 17:03:28 +0100
Subject: YOUR AWAITING PAYMENT

SPECIAL DUTIES,UNITED NATIONS ORGANISATION
IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND
WORLD BANK FACT-FINDING & SPECIAL DUTIES OFFICE
UNITED KINGDOM


URGENT

ATTN.: BENEFICIARY,

MY NAME IS SIR. BRUCE HOFFMAN OF THE TELEX/COMPUTER DEPARTMENT OF WORLD BANK.I WRITE TO CONFESS WHAT YOU ARE PRESENTLY GOING THROUGH,I AM SENDING THIS PRIVATE EMAIL BASED ON THE CONFIDENTIAL NATURE OF THE TRANSACTION; PLEASE I WILL LIKE TO ADVISE THAT IF AFTER GOING THROUGH MY SUBMISSION TO YOU AND YOU DO NOT ACCEPT IT, KINDLY KEEP IT TO YOURSELF.

I AM STILL IN SERVICE WITH THE WORLD BANK AND I WOULD NOT LIKE TO LOSE MY JOB. AS I FOUND OUT THAT YOU ALMOST MET ALL THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS IN RESPECT OF YOUR PAYMENT. YOUR PROBLEM IS THAT OF INTEREST GROUPS, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN YOUR PAYMENT AND THOSE PEOPLE ARE MERELY DOING PAPER WORK WITH YOU AND THAT EXPLAINS WHY YOU RECEIVE EMAIL AND PHONE MESSAGES FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE EVERYDAY. FROM ALL INDICATION, YOU HAVE LOST TRUST ON WHOM TO BELIEVE TO BE GENUINE,THEY ARE DELIBERATELY DELAYING YOUR PAYMENT. THEY CONTINUE TO ISSUE ONE FEE OR THE OTHER FROM DIFFERENT QUARTERS. I WONDER WHY YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED ALL THIS WHILE. I CAN ASSURE YOU THIS WILL KEEP HAPPENING ONE FEE OR THE OTHER THAT WELL NEVER END IF YOU DO NOT STOP NOW. WELL I JUST HOPE YOU BELIEVE ME, BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T, YOUR FUND IS GONE. THIS FUND SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN PAYED TO YOU SINS 2011, BUT THEY HAVE DECIDED TO DIVERT YOUR ATTENTION BY TELLING YOU THAT THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH ONE COMMITTE
E OR THE OTHER - FALSE!

THIR WHELE GAME PLAN IS TO FRUSTRATE YOU IN OTHER FOR YOU TO ABAMDON YOUR PAYMENT THEN THEY WILL BE COMFORTABLE AND FREE ENOUGH TO TRACSFER YOUR FUND INTO THEIR PARTNER OVERSEAS ACCEUNT THEIR AIM AND TARGET IS NOT THE MONEY YOU ARE GIVING THEM BUT TO FRUSTRATE YOU. HENCE, YOU HAVE LOST TRUST ON WHOM TO BELLEVE TO BE GENUINE,

I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THIS MAY LAST FOR YEARS, YET NOTHING HAPPENS TO SUM IT UP. I WISH TO ASSURE YOU THAT WITH MY POSITION HERE IN THE TELEX DEPARTMENT I CAN PUNCH THE COMPUTER AND CREDIT YOUR ACCOUNT STRAIGHT. I CAN ACCOMPLISH THIS UNDER THREE DAYS, BUT WE HAVE TO REACH AN AGREEMENT, FIRST OF ALL, YOU HAVE TO LET ME KNOW HOW MUCH YOU WILL GIVE ME AT THE CONSUMMATION OF THIS DEAL.SECONDLY, YOU WILL HAVE TO OPEN ANOTHER BANK ACCOUNT WHERE YOUR FUND WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO IMMEDIATELY IT HITS YOUR ACCOUNT. THIS IS TO AVOID ANY CALL BACK OF THE FUND.FINALLY, YOU WILL HAVE TO ACCEPT TO KEEP THIS TRANSACTION STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL, THEM IF YOU ACCEPT MY SUBMISSION, KINDLY GET BACK TO ME IMMEDIATELY.


CONFIRM YOUR PARTICULARS ON REPLY.

REGARDS,

SIR. BRUCE HOFFMAN
DIRECTOR, TELEX/COMPUTER DEPT.

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