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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: "PNC Bank" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <pncbank@rediffmail.com>
Date: Sat, 15 Jun 2013 17:04:51 +0100
Subject: APPROVAL OF YOUR CONTRACT INHERITANCE FUND.

PNC BANK
1350 6th Avenue, 2nd Floor,
55th St. New York, New York 10019,
United States of America.
REF: US/PNC/NY-008893/13
 
APPROVAL OF YOUR CONTRACT INHERITANCE FUND.
 
The African Union in-conjunction with the World Bank and European Union has instructed us to release your Contract Inheritance fund to you, however, all beneficiaries file has been submitted to my office, which your name is among the eight  Beneficiaries short-listed for payment this batch and we shall approve the release of your fund to you upon the receipt of your expedite attention to this letter.
 
However, be inform that all matters relating to the release of your contract inheritance fund are now under our control. This development has become necessary due to the activities of unpatriotic government officials and impostors who keep on frustrating every effort to settle beneficiaries. The sum of US$13.8 million has been approved for immediate release to you via Telegraphic Wire Transfer into your bank account.
 
In view of that, you are required to re-confirm to us the below details for Payment Update in our Transfer Database for proper accreditation and to avoid improper payment to wrong beneficiary.
 
Your full name
Current contact Address
Telephone and Fax Number
Occupation, Sex, Marital Status
Bank information.
 
Finally, you are warned to desist from any illegal communication you are having with any office (s) henceforth, because we won’t entertain any miss-conduct or complaint and you have being given 48hrs to respond to this official letter.
 
Yours in service,
 
Richard J. Johnson
Chief Financial Officer

Anti-fraud resources: