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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: "U.S. Department of the Treasury (service@treasury.gov)" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <frederick-hall@consultant.com>
Date: Sun, 5 Apr 2015 05:39:10 -0800
Subject: Verification Needed

The U.S. Department of the Treasury
Treasury Annex
1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20220
United States of America
Tel: +1-(202) 622-2000
Fax: +1-(202) 478-0979
 
Friday, April 03, 2015
 
 
                                      CASE REPORT:TREAS//3498ATCP=APPROVED TRANSACTION
 
This is to inform you that certain measures are taken considerably from the ties of Security and Rights from the Global Track/Trace program applied through the U.S Department of the Treasury initiatives with an objective to trace and recover any unpaid individual Contract or Inheritance funds, Gambling and Lottery awarded funds (sponsored by multinational companies) which is being transferred through the U.S intermediary banks working in collaboration with most Asian and African Banks for fund deposit to foreign beneficiary account.
 
As part of our efforts to disrupt terrorist networks and provide vital security measure to the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) within and outside the U.S Territory, our operative worldwide messaging system used in transmitting financial transactions has discovered that most unsuccessful fund transfers were placed on hold because majority of these international fund transfer of over the total sum of $500,000 USD and above come from Counties such as Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Iraq, Nigeria etc. with high classification of terrorism presently in existence. Nevertheless, we have gone through your transaction record and our extensive investigation confirmed that you are the original beneficiary shortlisted to receive a withheld sum of Fifteen Million United States Dollars ($15,000,000.00 USD).
 
Further to this development, we have communicated with the respective international government organization in charge of your case and we discovered that you have consulted various international financial institutions in Asia, Africa and in Europe for assistance without a formal procedure of acquiring your funds and the result enlisted you as a party to violation of anti money laundering policy. Due to the present state of your transaction, we have assigned an international Attorney in Nigeria who works with the U.S Supreme Court of Justice at the General Counsel and Solicitor's office to assist you on proper confirmation of your funds before you are paid. Therefore, you are advised to immediately contact the assigned representative below for assistance;
 
   * Name: Barrister Frederick Hall
   * Postal Address: Suite 1093 Area 5 Moshood Abiola Road, Abuja
   * Tel: + ****
   * Email: frederick.hall@consultant.com
 
This case must be treated effectively from henceforth and do not respond to this message as all your e-mails will be treated as junk mail if replied. This rule was implemented due to the strict monetary regulations which did not grant us the right to supersede your case and any inquiry should be directed to the above assigned representative within 48 hours for information on how to complete your payment documentation before any fund is credited into your account.
 
Regards,
Ms. Sarah Bloom Raskin,
Deputy Secretary,
Foreign Assets Control.
U.S. Department of the Treasury.
============================================
Questions about this information should be directed to
The U.S. Department of the Treasury
Telephone: +1-(206) 259-6650.

Anti-fraud resources: