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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
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.
- barbarakleihans@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
- bank address. p.o box 4045 buffalo ny 14240 e-mail: barbarakleihans@gmail.com reconfirm your details immediately if you are not aware of (Gmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "MR. EMEFIELE GODWIN (CBN GOVERNOR)" <dr.godwinemefiele.0011@outlook.com>
Reply-To: egodwin2015@hotmail.com
Date: Tue, 23 Jun 2015 13:41:19 +0400
Subject: ARE YOU STILL ALIVE?IF YES I WAIT FOR YOUR URGENT REPLY BEFORE IS
TOO LATE

FROM THE DESK OF MR GODWIN EMEFELE
GOVERNOR, CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN)
OUR REF: CBN/OHG/OXD31/15
YOUR REF:.................
TELEX: CENBANK.
PAYMENT FILE: CBN/BEN203/15.
DIRECT EMAIL: emefieleg010@outlook.com

Atten: Dear Beneficiary

Due to the urgency of the Executive Board meeting,Late Engr.Phillip Bruce
made a WILL DONATION of $10.5M in your name with our Bank as a FIX DEPOSIT
but there is presently a counter claims by Mrs.Barbara Kleihans trying to
make us believe that you are very sick and hospitalized for about A year
and Seven Months now and even explained in her letter that you entered
into
an agreement with her that she should claim your WILL inheritance fund as
your NEXT OF KIN.

So here comes the question ;

Did you sign any Deed of Assignment in favor of Mrs.Barbara Kleihans There
by making her the current beneficiary as your NEXT OF KIN. Please if you
did not sign or authorize Mrs.Barbara Kleihans to receive your fund on
your behalf, kindly reply immediately to avoid transferring your
inheritance fund to a wrong person, Please Verify her information and
confirm;

NAME Mrs.Barbara Kleihans
BANK NAMES,HSBC
ACCOUNT NO,381028194
ROUTING NO,022000020
SWIFT CODE.xzxsx
BANK ADDRESS. P.O Box 4045 Buffalo NY 14240
E-mail: barbarakleihans@gmail.com

Reconfirm your details immediately if you are not aware of this claim by
Mrs.Barbara Kleihans.

1) Your full name.
2) Your Correct Address
3) Your Direct Telephone or Mobile Number
4) Your Profession, Age and Marital Status
5) Your Identity Card (if you have any valid one)

However we shall proceed to issue all payments details to Mrs.Barbara
Kleihans if we do not hear from you within few working days from today. We
are sorry for any inconvenience and delay in transferring of this funds
must have caused you. Have a nice working day as I wait for your urgent
reply.

OFFICIALLY SIGNED.

MR GODWIN EMEFELE
GOVERNOR CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA.
DIRECT TEL/FAX: +234 816159225
DIRECT EMAIL: emefieleg0100@hotmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam