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: "DR. M. MAXWELL" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ebmtns@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 7 Jun 2015 22:36:40 +0100
Subject: Re: GOOD NEWS ABOUT YOUR PAYMENT FROM CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA.

Attn, BENEFICIARY
 
 
                                            COMPLIMENTS
 
I wish to bring to your notice that the Federal Government of Nigeria has approved your payment at this first Quarter payment of the year 2015,after series of Executive meetings with the Federal Ministry of Finance,the Senate Committee on contract Review and the Board Members of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
 
We are much pleased to contact you for your payment as this Present Government is poised to making sure all outstanding beneficiaries' funds are remitted to them in order to uphold the image of this country in International Community.Also it is wise to bring to your notice that your file is found plaudits and will be processed for payment as we hear from you.
 
Furthermore,we have discovered that some officials at the Central Bank of Nigeria,have tried in the past to pay you in Cash through Diplomatic means to your Country but failed to deliver because they were interested in their selfish motives and deviated from the procedures of delivery movement which attracted a massive sack on them.The facts are in your record here.Therefore,the Federal Government of Nigeria has decided that all payments should be processed and remitted through bank to bank wire transfers to the beneficiaries.
 
 
In this regard,you should go ahead and reconfirm to this office the requirements below so that we can process your payment and make remittances at once.
 
1.Your Full Names
2.Your Bank account details
3.Your Home and office Addresses
4.A copy of your International Passport
5.Your Direct Telephone number
 
We shall process your payment and advise on the remittance date as soon as we hear from you.
 
Remember, the Federal Government of Nigeria will not be held responsible for any further loss you may encounter in the hands of any  officials that may contact you as you have been warned...
 
Kindly call me on my direct telephone +234-81-7277-0488 so that we can have a chat over this issue as I advise you on what to do for your payment.
 
Regards.
 
 
Dr.Mark Maxwell
Director Key Tested And Telegraphic Wire Transfers

Anti-fraud resources: