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: "Fidelity bank." <fidelitybank078@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 2015 05:48:10 -0700
Subject: This is Very Urgent and Important.

Dear Sir.
 
I want to inform you that the sum of $4.3m had been approved as part of your inheritance fund for the transfer to your account based on instruction and directives from our affiliated bank African development bank to release your inheritance  fund to you in accordance to the guild line of inheritance payment. This approval is in line with the inheritance payment policy of the Organization of African Union (O.A.U)
 
Do get back to me with your date information to proceed on the transfer process of the fund to your account. I will be looking forward to hear from you, while I assure you of my bank professional assistance.

My best regards.
Ed Sullivan.
Fidelity bank.
 

 

Anti-fraud resources: