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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: "Patrick Igwe" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <compensation.dept@yandex.com>
Date: Thu, 11 Feb 2016 15:12:51 -0300
Subject: ECONOMIC & FINANCIAL CRIMES COMMISSION (EFCC).

 
 
NOTE: BEFORE GOING THROUGH THIS MAIL IF YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN A VICTIM OF SCAM KINDLY DISREGARD THIS EMAIL ITS NOT FOR YOU BUT FOR SCAMMED VICTIMS THANK YOU !!!
    
    
ECONOMIC & FINANCIAL CRIMES COMMISSION (EFCC).
House 48. Albert Macaulay Way Victoria Island Lagos/Nigeria
    
Attn:
    
I am Agent Patrick Igwe (INVESTIGATION OFFICER) with the ECONOMIC & FINANCIAL CRIMES COMMISSION  (EFCC). The ECONOMIC & FINANCIAL CRIME COMMISSION in alliance with Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have been working towards the  eradication of fraudsters and scam Artists in Western part of Africa With
the help of United States Government and the United Nations.
    
We have been able to track down so many of this scam artist in various  parts of west African countries which includes (NIGERIA, REPUBLIC OF BENIN,
TOGO,GHANA CAMEROON AND SENEGAL) and they are all in our custody here in  Lagos Nigeria. We have also arrested all those who claim that they are
barristers, bank officials, Lottery Agents who has money for transfer or want you to be the next of kin. We have been able to recover so much money from these scam
artists.
    
The United Nation Anti-crime commission and the United State Government  have ordered the money recovered from the people to be shared among 1000
Lucky people.This email is being directed to you because your email address was  found in one of the scam Artists file and computer hard disk in our custody
here in Nigeria and with the information gathered from this scam artist, we  noticed that you have been ripped of so much money and the organizing
committee have decided to compensate you with a little token to recover the lost of  your fund. You are therefore being compensated with the total sum
$1,500,000, (One Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars).
    
Since your email appeared among the lucky beneficiaries who will  receive a compensation of $1.500,000 (One Million Five Hundred Thousand
United States Dollars), we have made arrangement to prepare an ATM CARD in your name all you have to  do now is to contact the payment department Office with  these Code Of Conduct (REF.57990W) to prove to them that you are one of the chosen beneficiary all you will do  now is to contact them through the email address stated below with your  Code Of Conduct and also with the below information.
 
OFFICE CONTACT: COMPENSATION DEPT
EMAIL: compensation.dept@yandex.com
    
  
                         INFORMATION (REQUIRED)
 
NAME: ................................................ .......................................
GENRE: ................................................ ........................................
COUNTRY/TERRITORY: .............................................. ............................
OCCUPATION: ................................................ .................................
CELL NUMBER: ................................................ ...................................
HOME ADDRESS: ................................................ ...................................,
 
 
Please Note that we have a very limited time regarding this comensation program so your urgent response is needed within the next 72 hours so the compensation department can advise you on how best you can receive your funds, Once again the only fee requested from you is the Notarization fee which is $450 Upon your response the compensation department will guidelines and instructions on how to make the payment of this requested fee.
 
Thank You
 
Patrick Igwe,
Investigation Officer.
    
 

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