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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: "MR. MICHAEL PETERSON." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <michaelpeterson00002007@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 31 Mar 2013 08:32:14 -0700
Subject: RE: VERIFY TO KNOW THE CAPACITY OF YOUR BANK ACCOUNT.

MR. MICHAEL PETERSON.
PAYMENT SUPERVISORY OFFICER.
INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE DEPT
ING BANK LONDON.
60 LONDON WALL LONDON, EC2M 5TQ
UNITED KINGDOM.
TEL: + 44-70457-28610, 70457-31762, 70359-83155.
FAX: +44-70-9298-6982.
 
Good day.
 
                    RE: VERIFY TO KNOW THE CAPACITY OF YOUR BANK ACCOUNT.
 
 
Did you authorize one MR. ROBERT J. CHRISTOPHER, to meet us as your representatives with documents of claim purported to have been signed by you for the release of your funds valued US$27,500,000.00 (TWENTY SEVEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND US DOLLARS ONLY?) because the funds has been approved already for payment by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) after their various investigation consigning the funds.
 
Please note this; I have been working on your behalf on how to release your funds into your bank account, and also to prove to you again that not everybody who comes your way in this world is fake or an imposter.
 
This is to let you know that I have succeeded by proving to the director of the ING BANK LONDON that you are the original beneficiary of the unclaimed funds deposited with their bank, also has submitted all the necessary demanded documents by the bank, therefore certifying you to the ING BANK as the real beneficiary of the funds on your behalf, and attach is an International Bank Draft issued in your name through the ING BANK
LONDON.
 
Now go to your bank immediately and confirm from your account officer if this attach International Bank Draft is genuine, and once your bank certified the International Bank Draft Genuine and Okay to you, the ING BANK will now send the original copy of the International Bank Draft to you, also note that the director of the ING BANK told me that they just issued you this Bank Draft of US$850,000.00. To verify the capacity of your bank account if your bank account can accommodate the US$27,500,000.00 (TWENTY SEVEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND US DOLLARS ONLY) approve to you, before they will transfer the whole amount of your funds to your bank account.
 
Please confirm this with your bank account officer  immediately and get back to us, so that the bank will know very well that your bank account is capable of receiving the US$27,500,000.00 (TWENTY SEVEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND US DOLLARS ONLY), therefore re-send your current receiving address where the original copy of your International Bank Draft will be delivered to you and your telephone and fax number for easy communication, also confirm if you did received the attachment of your international bank draft.
 
DO THAT IMMEDIATELY.
 
MR. MICHAEL PETERSON.
PAYMENT SUPERVISORY OFFICER.
INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE DEPT
ING BANK LONDON.
60 LONDON WALL LONDON, EC2M 5TQ
UNITED KINGDOM.
TEL: + 44-70457-28610, 70457-31762, 70359-83155.
FAX: +44-70-9298-6982.

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