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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: "George Philips." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <georgephilips582@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 10 Aug 2012 12:15:29 -0700
Subject: Ref: IRREVOCABLE PAYMENT GUARANTY.

Ref: IRREVOCABLE PAYMENT GUARANTY.
 
Dear:
 
I am contacting you based on the official mandate received from the ECOWAS Community and our objective is to pay all outstanding foreign debts to their respective beneficiaries and that includes those who lost money to impostors in the pursuit of claiming for your payment release. The facts and records available were officially gathered from the Western Union/Moneygram Agencies and other records of Banks transactions within and outside the Africa shores.
 
You're being officially informed that a bond deposit of $8.5 Million was deposited on the EuroClear for your payment. This money was drawn from the over three billion Euros recovered by the United Nation & World bank monetary task force from different Commercial banks in the U.S, Europe and Asian Banks. These were stolen funds by the African Leaders/politicians and the Heads of Economic of West African States (ECOWAS) have approved part of this fund to be used for the settling of foreign contractors and inheritances debts/compensation to all affected victims of scam.
 
We have commenced on your payment process and hope to receive your personal details such as: your address, mobile telephone numbers, your Bank Account information and a scan photo of your identity. Please this is very imperative and is to make sure that we are dealing with the lawful person.
 
Note, base on the time differences and deadline given for this settlements, we will not dither to call or email you during or after the office hours, therefore we urge you to bear with us and kindly oblige fully with the official directives.
 
Thanks and Sincerely,
 
George Philips.
Dir of Foreign Operation
Zenith international Bank Ghana,

Anti-fraud resources: