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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: "Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrstephen.oj@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 7 Aug 2012 21:55:27 +0300
Subject: Contact Mr Stephen.Oj for release of your funds worth $1.5Million?

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Anti-Terrorist And Monitory Crime Division.
Federal Bureau Of Investigation.
J.Edgar.Hoover Building Washington Dc
Customers Service Hours / Monday To Saturday
Office Hours Monday to Saturday:
 
 
Attn:Beneficiary
 
 
This is Mr.Robert S.Mueller, The Director of  Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) department of justice based Washington Dc. Dear we write to let you know that After proper investigations that we made 7 days ago, we discovered that your impending payment that have been withheld by imposters, claiming to be LAMIDO SANUSI  LAMIDO (Governor of the Central bank of Nigeria), Mr. Patrick Aziza, Mr. Frank Nweke, None existing officials of the Oceanic Bank of Nigeria and Zenith Bank, UK winning Lottery, Andy Lear of HSBC bank, Coca-Cola winning lottery and among a list of others is now under our custody with the help of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Local Police Force. Investigations revealed that you have spent a lot on your personal earned money just to conclude the successful delivery/transfer of your funds to your destination by obtaining delivery/transfer documents as requested by the imposters, costing you a lot of money but all to no avail.
 
 
We the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had to send some financial crime investigators from our headquarters in Washington DC to Africa in other to carry out proper investigation, after receiving series of other reports similar to yours as you are not the only person awaiting the legal delivery/transfer of funds from Africa.
 
 
Secondly we has giving authority to the International Monetary Funds (IMF) to assist the Federal Ministry of Finance and all the organization involved; such as the Central Bank, Zenith Bank, and Legit lottery organizations to immediately commence with the compensation of all the beneficiaries awaiting the successful delivery/transfer of their funds.
 
 
With the help of some of the best Internet investigators attached to the FBI, we traced your information from the Internet as one of the beneficiaries awaiting the successful delivery/transfer of funds to your destination.
 
 
I am pleased to inform you that a meeting was held as regards the best way to carry out with the compensation exercise for transparency and most especially to avoid
re-occurrence of the delay in transferring your funds and the high cost of procuring transfer documents and came to a final conclusion as all head of organizations involved was duly represented.
 
 
It was approved to be issued to you as a valid international ATM card cashable at any ATM machine in the world. The ATM account has already being credited with two million, five hundred thousand United States dollars. ($2.5,000, 000.00USD) , with a daily Limit of withdrawal of Ten thousand United StatesDollars($10.000,00USD).
 
 
The ATM card has already being packaged and approved to be delivered to your door step via express courier delivery service.
 
 
Contact Mr Stephen.OJ {Our FBI ATM Rep.} at the ATM PAYMENT CENTER with the below contact information for release of your ATM Card.
 
 
NAME: MR STEPHEN OJ.
 
EMAIL: mrstephen.oj@hotmail.com
 
CELL PHONE NUMBER:  +234-8034165255
 
 
You are advised to reconfirm your delivery information as stated below and your security code which is (FBI13), submit it alongside with your delivery information as stated below for security reasons..
 
 
DELIVERY INFORMATION:
 
FULL NAME AND AGE:................................
 
DELIVERY ADDRESS:...................................
 
CELL PHONE NUMBER:...............................
 
CURRENT OCCUPATION:............................
 
 
HAVE IT IN MIND THAT THE DELIVERY FEE OF YOUR ATM CARD TO YOUR  DESTINATION HAVE BEEN SETTLED BETWEEN WE AND THE COURIER COMPANY IN CHARGE OF YOUR ATM CARD DELIVERY. SO YOU ARE MANDATED TO PAY FOR THE SECURITY KEEPING FEE WHICH WILL ONLY COST YOU $200USD. FURTHERMORE YOU DON'T HAVE ANY THING TO BE AFRAID OF OR TO BE WORRIED ABOUT NOW THAT WE THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI) IS INVOLVED IN THIS, YOU HAVE TO BE REST ASSURED THAT THIS IS 100% RISK FREE; IT IS OUR DUTY TO PROTECT AND FIGHT CRIMES,SO DON'T BE SKEPTICAL ABOUT IT OK AND WE ALSO GUARANTEE YOU THAT ONCE YOU CAN BE ABLE TO PAY FOR THE SECURITY KEEPING FEE TO MR STEPHEN.OJ THE DELIVERY OF YOUR ATM CARD WILL COMMENCE IMMEDIATELY TO YOUR DOOR STEP WITHIN THE NEXT 48 HOURS AFTER PAYMENT MUST HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED FROM YOU BY MR STEPHEN OJ.
 
 
A RELIABLE AND A TRUSTED COURIER COMPANY HAVE BEEN CONTRACTED TO DELIVER YOUR PACKAGE TO YOUR DESTINATION,AS SOON AS YOU CONTACT MR STEPHEN.OJ HE WILL UPDATE YOU WITH THE COURIER COMPANY EMAIL CONTACT ADDRESS IN OTHER TO AVOID ANY UNDUE DELAY OF YOUR ATM CARD.
 
 
NOTE: Under normal circumstances you are suppose to come and collect your ATM CARD in person and sign some documents as proof for collection of your ATM CARD but the IMF and the Finance Ministry insisted that you pay for the SECURITY KEEPING Fee Which will only cost you $200usd to cut down travel expenses and when looking at it that's the easiest way to receive your funds and We hope that every thing is clear to your understanding. A receipt to this effect will be sent to you and a copy kept in your file for future documentation.
 
 
We also advise that you stop further communications with these imposters if you are still in communication with anyone and forward any correspondence / proposal you receive from them to Mr Stephen.Oj in other for the FBI to bring justice to does still at large.
 
GOD BLESS US..
 
REGARDS.
 
Mr. Robert S.Mueller III
 
DIRECTOR FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI).
 
 

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