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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: "EMBASSY" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mcarthur65@yandex.com>
Date: Wed, 3 Sep 2014 18:11:37 -0700
Subject: REPLY THIS URGENTLY

Attn: Beneficiary

I wish to inform you that the United States of America Consulate is in now in charge of your payment and is in receipt of your payment file.

Following a Foreign Debt Settlement agreement signed between the UN with US/UK Governments, banks and financial Institution previously involved in handling your payment were mandated to handover payment files to us to ensure credibility on foreign debt settlements. This is as a result of numerous scam complains to U.S Department of States in Washington DC, filed by a lawyer with United Nations on behalf of some affected beneficiaries who have been defrauded in the course of pursuing their payments.

In view of the responsibility conferred on us by UN, US and UK Governments, and in order for us to carry out this task to your maximum satisfaction, you are advised to contact this office to enable us establish link with you for processing of your payment and subsequent transfer of your fund through any of our designated banks with reputation.

To avoid any bureaucratic bottlenecks, your payment shall be made from our designated banks, through bank to bank transfer. Following mountain of scam complains perpetuated against beneficiaries; and to avoid such ugly situation hence the involvement of U.S Consulate.

So without wasting much time and to enable us proceed, kindly reconfirm the below details immediately and we shall get back to you with dispatch to get your payment transferred.

(1) FULL NAME AND ADDRESS.
(2) YOUR BANK AACOUNT DETAILS TO RECIEVE YOUR FUND.
(3) COPY OF YOUR IDENTIFICATION, INT’L PASSPORT OR D.L
(4) TELEPHONE NUMBERS

Acknowledge urgently


Sincerely,

Mr. George McArthur
Executive Officer,
Debt Payment Unit
US Consulate, Nigeria
Email: gmcarthur.usemb@yandex.com

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