419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "processing fee" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- mrs.veornicaamadi1@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs.Veronica amadi" <mrs.veronica_amadi@yahoo.pt>
Reply-To: "Mrs.Veronica amadi" <mrs.veornicaamadi1@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2014 22:29:53 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: =?UTF-8?Q?!!!BREAKING_NEWS!!YOUR_URGENT_ATTENTION_IS_NE?=
=?UTF-8?Q?EDED_IF_YOU_WISH_TO_HAVE_YOUR_FUND_RECEIVED=E2=80=8F=E2=80=8F?=

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Attention:Dear Valued Beneficiary

Â believe this email will reach you ingood condition.

I knowthat you might be surprise on this mail but neverÂ you had a doubt on this because all amtoÂ tell you is nothing but the truth. I knowthat it is against my official duty to release confidential issue like this toan outsider. There is nothing I can do to help you beside this; I am takingthis bold step because of my belief as a Christian. and also I understand ofwhat you have been passing through,

WhatI want to tell you is nothing but about your fund with the Federal Governmentof Nigeria, am to let you know that there are a lot forces working against youright from the last CBN Governor Lamido Sanusi and the current Governor, Mr.GoodwinÂ Â Emefiele andotherÂ Â top officials, Iunderstand that they have been frustrating you by demanding upfront paymentfrom you constantly, If I tell you that they are using all these money you sentto them to work against you, you might not believe it. Mind you that this not ajoke and nothing but the gospel truth.

Amhere to let you know that there is ways I can assist you to get your fundwithout any hesitation/any further delayÂ but take notice, you will be responsible for the cost of your paymentprocessing fees, if you can believe me and follow up my instruction to you itis risk ,like I have assisted one woman from Mexico with it, it worked outthough her fund was US8.5 Million .if you will bear with me the only thing youto do is to open another bank account , if you can open it in another bank, itwill be nice, but what you have to bear in mind is that you have to retransferthe fund to another account immediately you confirmed it in your account, Iknow why I want it this way.

Ifyou want me to go ahead, let me know and get back to me as soon as you get thismail, if I make the transfer on this week, it might be next year march thatthey will find out and by then, you have retransferred the fund into anotheraccountÂ Â you canget back to me immediately with the belowÂ email:Â mrs.veornicaamadi1@hotmail.comÂ Get back to me as soon as possible so that Iwill be in better position to know what to do.

Dr,Mrs. Veronica Amadi
KTTDept CBN.Â Â Â Â Â

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam