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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. Mavine Sollah" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mavinesollah@mynet.com>
Date: Thu, 14 Feb 2013 06:41:06 -0500
Subject: Dear Beneficiary,

INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND ANNEX
WEST AFRICA REGIONAL OFFICE
18 Victoria Street Lagos
SW1H 0NN NIGERIA .
TEL: +234-816 446 4914
 
Dear Beneficiary,
 
Payment Ref: IMF/WARO-2011-13
 
Following your non responding to our previous email to you, This Notice is brought to you from IMF World Fund Discovery Management and Payment Bureau newly invented by the World Bank. This body was set up to discover an outstanding unpaid fund being owned to Governments or Individuals all over the world through Contract Payment and International Social Securities, Inheritance and Lottery Winning Prize Awards as well as health Insurance and compensation payment.
 
It will interest you to know that we have discovered an outstanding unpaid sum of SIX MILLION AND FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS ($6,500,000.00 USD) on a file in favor of your name has been given to this body to ensure that this fund gets to you without any delay. We also want to bring to your notice that there is presently a counter claims on your compensation funds valued $6,500,000.00 USD by one Mr.Jose Mario Santana, who is presently trying to make us believe that you are dead and even claimed that you entered into an agreement with him to help you in receiving your fund, So here comes a question you need to answer immediately your Inheritance fund is released in favor of Mr.Jose Mario Santana
 
Did you sign any Deed of Assignment in favor of (Mr.Jose Mario Santana) thereby making him your Trustee and Next of kin to receive your fund on your behalf and Mr.Jose Mario Santana has also given us a scanned Copy Of his United States Identity Card and Bank Account information for a quick transfer of your fund while we are still waiting for you to urgently confirm Mr.Jose Mario Santana's claims because if we do not hear from you within the next few Working days from today, we will honor Mr.Jose Mario Santana a rightful owner of the approved $6,500,000.00 USD.
 
In case you did not appoint Mr.Jose Mario Santana and you want to take advantage of your overdue compensation/contract payment, you are advised to urgently confirm to this office with the information as requested below so that we will be able to process the final release of your fund to your respected account in your Country Accordingly to avoid false claim.
 
1. Your Full Name _________________
2. Your Home Address: _____________
3. Your Home Telephone___________
4. Your Mobile Phone_______________
5. Fax Number: ___________________
6. Your Age and Sex_______________
7. Your Occupation_________________
8. Your Alternative E-mail Address__________
9. Your Nationality___________________
 
We are waiting for your urgent confirmation and we want you to provide us with the above mentioned information so that we can process a swift transfer of your Inheritance fund to your designated bank as you shall advice us while we advised you to please keep every information here restrict confidential until your finally receive your fund just to avoid false claim of your fund.
 
Please we also advised you to inform us if you have been dealing with persons or organization regarding your Inheritance fund so that we can investigate your transaction immediately and have your fund successfully transferred to
your existing account in your Country.
 
Thanks.
Yours Faithfully,
Sir. Mavine Sollah
IMF World Fund Discovery and Payment Bureau
 

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