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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: "MADAM LINDA THOMAS GREENFIELDS" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <madamlindathomasgreenfield@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 2015 23:53:35 +0100
Subject: OFFICE OF THE US ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATES FOR AFRICA.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
OFFICE OF THE US ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATES FOR AFRICA.


ATTN:GOOD CITIZEN:

MAY I INTRODUCE MYSELF AS MRS LINDA THOMAS GREENFIELDS,THE US ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATES FOR AFRICA.

MY HOPE IS THAT THIS EMAIL FINDS YOU AT THE VERY RIGHT TIME.

I FLEW DOWN TO AFRICA THREE DAYS AGO AND WAS IN ABUJA-THE NIGERIAN CAPITAL THIS MORNING, FOR TWO WEEKS MY ONGOING VISIT TO AFRICA TO KNOW ABOUT THE PLIGHTS OF SOME GOOD CITIZENS OF UNITED STATE AND OTHER COUNTRIES OVER THEIR LONG OVERDUE PAYMENTS FROM AFRICA AND IN NIGERIA,BENIN,TOGO AND GHANA IN PARTICULAR.

I WAS AT THE OFFICE OF THEIR NEW MUSLIM PRESIDENT.ALHAJI MUHAMMAD BUHARI AND HE CLAIMED HE THAT HE WAS NOT AWARE OF ALL THESE THAT HAS HAPPENED TO YOU AS HE JUST ASSUMED OFFICE RECENTLY.

HE GAVE ME THE AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH THE CONTROLLER OF THE NATIONS FINANCIAL SECTOR (DR MRS NGOZI OKONJO IWEALA).SHE LAMENTED ON THE VARIOUS DECEITFUL AND WRONG WAYS BY WHICH SOME AFRICANS BOTH NON-EXISTING AND EVEN EXISTING OFFICIAL USED IN EXTORTING MONIES FROM YOU WITHOUT GETTING YOUR FUND TO YOU.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, YOUR PAYMENT FILES WAS AMONG THE FILE SHE PRESENTED TO ME BEING SOME OF THE FILES MARKED X STATING THAT YOU HAVE REFUSED TO SETTLE YOUR TRUE FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS IN RESPECT TO YOUR FUNDS DUE TO THIS VERY FRAUDULENT ACTIONS TAKEN AGAINST YOU AND SHE THEREFORE HAVE APPROVED YOUR FILE FOR FINAL CANCELLATION THIS MORNING.

ON THIS VERY NOTE I PLEADED WITH HER NOT TO CANCEL YOU FILE ,AND I ADDED THAT THE REASON WHY YOU HAVE NOT PAID UP AS IT STANDS NOW IS BECAUSE OF LACK OF FUND AND TRUST ON YOUR ENDS DUE TO YOUR UGLY PAST EXPERIENCE .

I ALSO PLEADED TO HER TO MAKE AN EMPOWERMENT TRANSFER OF US$50,000 TO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT OR BY ANY OTHER MEANS, ON THE AGREEMENT THAT YOU WILL PAY $50 C.O.T AND AFTER YOU HAVE RECEIVED THE $50,000.00 IN YOUR BANK, YOU CAN NOW DEEP HANDS IN IT AND PAY UP OTHER CHARGERS THAT SURROUNDS YOUR PAYMENT AND RECEIVE YOUR FULL PAYMENT.

THE ONLY THING YOU WILL DO IS TO MAKE AVAILABLE THE SUM OF $50 TO HER FOR THE SWIFT TRANSFER US$50,000.00 TO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT IMMEDIATELY, AND SHE ACCEPTED MY PROPOSAL.

THIS IS THE REASON FOR MY EMAIL TO YOU NOW ,WHAT DO YOU THINK, IS THAT NOT BETTER THAT WAY? THAN TO LOSS ALL YOUR FUNDS, IF YOU ARE OKAY WITH IT ,PLEASE GET BACK TO ME SO THAT I CAN GIVE YOU MORE DIRECTION AS I HAVE ONE WEEK AND FEW DAYS TO SPEND HERE IN AFRICA.

GET BACK TO ME ON THIS MATTER.


HOPE TO READ FROM YOU IN MINUTES,

REGARDS,

MADAM LINDA THOMAS GREENFIELDS
US ASSISTANT
SECRETARY OF STATES FOR AFRICA
.


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