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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: Tony Ken <tony00ken@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 8 Dec 2012 00:33:55 -0800
Subject: URGENT RESPONSE NEEDED

Attn Sir,

Payment of your Contract/Inheritance Fund Value US$3.5M.

We have on the 10th of August , 2012 we received a payment credit
instruction from the office of the president of the Federal Government of
Nigeria and in Collaboration with International Monetary Fund (IMF) to
credit your account With your contract funds valued at $3.5m (Three
Million Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollars) from the government
reserve account through BANK TO BANK transfer. These funds have been
programmed for immediate release but we can not Transfer it directly to
you, as we are having a little problem , a woman from the United State by
name (Mrs. Linda Kelly) came to our office with an application Letter
stated that you gave her the Power of Attorney to be the beneficiary Of
your Outstanding Contract/Inheritance fund, she made us to believe that You
are dead and that she is your next of kin.
We got your email address from the initial contract file and decided to
send You a notice mail through this address hoping to find out if you are
dead or Alive and to find out if you, at any time gave this woman the power
of Attorney to represent you because we are almost ready to transfer the
fund to her nominated bank Account stated below:

Bank Name: Washington Mutual Bank
Address: 1723 Palmdale Bulv.
Palmdale Ca. 93550, USA
Acct #: 3573813158
Rout #: 322271627
Swift code #: WMSBUS66
Beneficiary: LINDA KELLY.

Be informed that every arrangement regarding your cash payment through Bank
To Bank has been made and will be released to you as soon as you reply
through this email ( tony_kenmr@rediffmail.com ) for more details.
Kindly send the below required information below:
1) Your Full Name__________________
2) Married/Single_________________________
3) Current Home Address_______________________
4) Your Telephone Number_________________________
5) Age and Sex_______________________
6) Occupation______________________
7) Copy ID or International Passport for Identification.
Regards
Mr. Tony Ken.
TELEX DEPATMENT DIRECTOR

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