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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: "FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <federal.bureau.of.Investigation1277@usa.com>
Date: Fri, 1 Aug 2014 02:40:33 -0700
Subject: LAST WARNING FROM FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION


Urgent Attention Dear Real Beneficiary.

We have this morning discovered that you have been making foreign
illegal transactions with Western Unions, Money Grams, Diplomatic
Agents and Banks in London and West African Countries (Benin, Nigeria, Ghana
etc.). We went further with the investigations and found out that you
don't have Money Laundering Clearance Certificate, which is a major
Federal Offense. You have violated the US Federal Law, which
constituted against smuggling of large amount of money and trafficking
of drug e.t.c., without having Money Laundering Clearance Certificate.

You want to receive such huge amount of money from Western Union, Bank
and money gram office in Africa which is a foreign transaction.
Meanwhile we have stopped the payment, any money above One million United States Dollars was
stopped.


Furthermore, be advised that according to the United States Law
Enforcement Agency together with the FBI rules and regulations, you
are to obtain the document from the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission office in Ghana which is the origin of the fund
in question. Also Note that you are to take care of the document to be
issued to you right away because due to the content of the document
and how importance and secured the document is, you are to take care
of the document by sending the sum of $125.00 US Dollars only to the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission office Ghana for the
issuance of the document and your payment will be release to you
because this is the only way the Economic and Financial Crime
Commission Ghana will issue you the document,

Note that your rights are limited; anything you SAY or DO will be used
as evidence against you in the court of Law. You have the full rights
to remain silent and obey the Law. Don't think we don't know you or
your address. We will get you arrested if you fail to provide the
document or pay the documentation fee. The Arrest Warrant can only be
withdrawn once the document is obtained and there are three charges
against you if you failed to pay the $125 today or tomorrow:

1. Smuggling of a huge amount of money into USA without Money
Laundering Clearance Certificate is a violation to Federal Law.

2. Smuggling of a huge amount of money into USA without a proper
documentation is a violation 2003 Federal Constitution, otherwise,
called illegal transaction.3. it's a Conspiracy, a Criminal Attempt
and Disobedience to the Federal Law, which will eventually lead you to
3-year imprisonment.

So you are therefore advise to Send the Money Direct To The Origin Of
The Fund In Question with below address via western union or money
gram:

Receiver Name: .........Ugorji Iroegbu Frank
Location:..............Accra Ghana
Text Q.:............... When
Answer: ................Today
Amount:.................$125
Sender Name:.............
MTCN or Reference no#

Once, you make the payment, attach scan copy of the payment slip for
verification before sending it to the Economic Financial Crime
Commission office in Accra Ghana.

WARNING: Failure to pay this documentation fee is a confirmation that
you wanted to smuggle the funds into the USA which is a federal
offense and a gross violation of the Patriot Act and legal action will
be taken immediately by arresting and detaining you and if found
guilty, you will be jailed...... As terrorism, drug trafficking and
money laundering is a serious problem in our community today. The
F.B.I will not stop at any length in tracing down and prosecuting any
criminal who indulge in this criminal act.

Your Faithfully,
Mr. James Brien Comey, Director Federal Bureau of Investigation
CC: PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA
CC: GENERAL INTELLIGENCE DEPARTMENT (GID)
CC: Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG)
CC: Egmont Group
CC: FEDERAL BURUEA OF INVESTIGATION (FBI USA)
CC: European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
CC: Financial Action Task Force (FATF)
CC: International Monetary Fund (IMF)
CC: International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO)
CC: International Banking Security Association (IBSA)
CC: International Air Transport Association (IATA)
CC: Institutde Formation Interbancaire (INSIG)
CC: World Customs Organization (WCO)
CC: Inter-American Development Bank (IADB)
CC: Offshore Group of Banking Supervisors (OGBS)
CC: WORLD CENTRAL BANK (SW)
CC: NIGERIA POLICE FORCE (NPF)
CC: NORTH YORKSHIRE POLICE (UK)
CC: ECONOMIC FINANCIAL CRIME COMMISSION (EFCC)

Anti-fraud resources: