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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: "Federal Reserve System USA" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ban_of_america01@live.com>
Date: Sat, 8 Sep 2012 17:48:36 +0200
Subject: OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION OF YOUR UNCLAIMED FUNDS,

 
Federal Reserve System USA
20th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20551.
Docket No. R-1300
 
OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION OF YOUR UNCLAIMED FUNDS
 
ATTN: BENEFICIARY.
We are humbly using this medium to inform you that we have received a letter from the African Union (AU) to notify you that your part payment fund valued at  US$15,500,000.00 (US$15.5 Million Dollars) the Financial Security Services recovered from a Bank in Africa as unclaimed "Payment Fund" belonging to you have been approved and ready to be released to you unconditionally with Release Code BOE1700.
Your $15,500,000.00 has been sent to BANK OF AMERICA, office in USA and we have mandated them to release the fund to you as soon as possible. Therefore, you are kindly advice to contact the Manager and Paymaster of BANK OF AMERICA in USA, Mr. Afred Macre through his open email address: ban_of_america01@live.com and send him your payment release code is BOE1700 which will empower him to release this US$15.5 Million Dollars to you as soon as possible.
For your information, your payment file has been sent to the Bank of America for onward transfer to your bank account  so kindly contact the bank account officer in-charge with his below information.
Bank Name;-Bank of America
A/C Officer:-Mr. Alfred McRae
Email:-  ban_of_america01@live.com
Website:- www.bankofamerica.com
Direct Lines +1 713 239 5457
Thanks for adhering to this instructions.
Yours truly,
 
Mrs. Jennifer J. Johnson
Secretary
Board of Governors.
 

Anti-fraud resources: