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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: Peter Madu <pmadu_2014@yahoo.es>
Reply-To: opdept.pmadu@ymail.com
Date: Wed, 08 Jan 2014 02:54:07 -0600
Subject: THE WAY FORWARD!!!

Following a Debt Conversion Programme Agreement (DCPA) reached between our Bank and the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) under the 2012/2013 fiscal year schemes, our Bank {ECOBANK PLC.} has taken over the responsibility for remittance/settlement of debt owed to individuals and companies by the member countries both Contract and inheritance entitlements alike.

Our bank was nominated for this purpose because of our strong presence in all the West African sub-region and for our reputation. Your outstanding fund will now be paid through our Bank { ECOBANK PLC.} under the terms of the Debt Conversion Programme Agreement (DCPA). We are to pay you immediately while the relevant government will refund our Bank through Government Treasury Bills in favour of our Bank maturing in 2017.

The ECOWAS Economic Monitoring Committee (EEMC) on Foreign Debts has authorized payment to you with immediate effect, via our Foreign Operations Account with our Correspondence Bank. Subsequently, Economic Monitoring Committee (EEMC) order number P24K was issued to this bank directing us to remit your fund immediately. We instructed our foreign corresponding bank to affect the remittance of US$10,500,000.00 part payment to your designated bank account and this has been done accordingly.

While congratulating you on the final remittance of your fund, you are advised to inquire from your bank confirming the arrival of your fund at the designated bank account.

Yours faithfully,

Peter Madu
Operations Department
Ecobank PLC.


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