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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Special Fraud Unit" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <npfcrimeunitinvedept@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 2015 12:35:04 +0100
Subject: RE: RECOVERY OF DIVERTED/STOLEN ATM DEBIT CARD

Nigeria Police Force Headquarter
Ken caleb House
Obalende Ikoyi
Lagos State, Nigeria  .
Attn:  Beneficiary
                       
                             RECOVERY OF DIVERTED ATM DEBIT CARD
 
I am contacting you personally to notify you of our discovery as well as get some fact from you.
Recently we arrested a man with name Francisco Zuela a Ghanian Citizen who work with D.H.L office in Lagos with an ATM CARD with your name on it as the beneficiary and the owner of the card. However the entire parcel containing the proof of claim ownership which is also in your name has so far has been recovered from him.
After we arrested and interrogated him, he confessed as stated below.
My name is Francisco Zuela, I work with the D.H.L office in Nigeria. Earlier this year, I was approached by a lawyer about the diversion of a parcel containing ATM DEBIT CARD belonging to one   of U.S.A. which I agreed and then we collaborated to divert the card to another address in U.S.A from where to be sure it confirmed entry into U.S after which it was return to Nigeria to avoid any suspicion.
 
Later we wrote to the the Issuing bank as the beneficiary and with the help of the collaborator, the risk and management department of the bank gave me the pin code of the card. Since then I have been making withdraw sharing with my collaborators until this week when the card was blocked by the bank that I should contact the issuing bank already I have made withdraw of about USDUS86,800.00 within this period.
 
The above is the suspect' s confession and we have contacted the card issuing bank who also told us that there was an initial complain from the beneficiary  though the identity of the mentioned person was not disclosed. They confirmed that there was an application from you to re-release the ATM Card Pin upon receipt which direct was sent to an email with your name (edward.tavernier@live.com) but they are not aware that you have not received the card since you did not inform them hence the card was diverted.
 
We will like to hear from you immediately to enable us carry out action as well make arrangement for the ATM CARD to be re-dispatched to you without any delay upon reconciliation with the issuing bank.
>From our secret investigation so far, we have confirmed that this suspect is in collaboration with some officials of the bank to divert this CARD without your knowledge which is confirmed in our Investigation. At this point, do not communicate with anyone to avoid leakage information until we are able to arrest everyone involved.
 
Upon your response, we shall forward an official notification to the Director Internal Regulatory Department of your country Consulate here in Nigeria.
 
Waiting your Immediate Response.
 
 
D.S.P Emmanuel Ojukwu
Lagos State
Force Public Relation Officer

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