joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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.Mark Obinna" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mr.markobinna123@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 27 Sep 2014 19:49:35 +0100
Subject: respond for more details?

Dear Friend,
 
I am Mr. Mark Obinna a computer scientist with central bank of Nigeria, I am 42 years old just started work with C.B.N. I came across your file which was marked X and your released disk painted RED, I took time to study your payment file and found out that you have paid VIRTUALLY fees and certificate while fund has not been release to you.
The most annoying thing is that they cannot tell you the truth that on no account will they ever release the fund to you; instead they let you spend money unnecessarily.
 
I do not intend to work here all the days of my life as I can release this fund value USD 10.5 million to you if you can certify me of my security hence I will run away from this country Nigeria to meet with you for good investment, because after wiring fund to your account and remain here in this country, I will be seriously in trouble and my life will be in danger as they might jail me for the perpetrated act,so please this is like a Mafia setting in Nigeria ; you may not understand it because you are not a Nigerian.
 
The only thing I will need from you to release this fund is a special HARD DISK which we call (120 GIG) only or you can get it from your end and send to enable me conclude. I will buy two of it, recopy your information, destroy the previous one, and punch the computer to
enable fund reflect into your bank within 24 banking hours. Upon confirmation of the HARD DISK I will clean up tracer and destroy your file, after which I will run away from Nigeria to meet with you, consider it done once I have the hard disk as I do not intend working
here for the rest of my life. If you have read to understand my point then, do get in touch with me immediately as advice to:
 
Re-confirm you’re banking details including your convenient telephone
number for easy communications when it is urgent.
 
Mr.Mark Obinna
Position: Computer Scientist.
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)
Private Email:mr.markobinna123@gmail.com

Anti-fraud resources: