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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: "Natwest Bank" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <gasammut@outlook.com>
Date: Thu, 12 May 2016 22:44:06 +0100
Subject: Do you know her?

DIRECTOR,INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE
FOREIGN OPERATIONS DEPT,
NATWEST BANK PLC.
LONDON-UNITED KINGDOM.
 
Dear: Beneficiary,
 
Following the protest of the International Community, The World Bank,
IMF and the instruction by the PM (Mr. David Cameron) that
all outstanding foreign debts especially Contract payments, unpaid lottery winnings, inheritance funds, scammed victims compensation should be released to the beneficiaries forthwith unconditionally.
 
YOUR FUNDS OF $15.5M:
THIS IS TO NOTIFY YOU THAT YOUR OVER DUE FUNDS HAS BEEN GAZETTED TO BE RELEASED, VIA KEY TELEX TRANSFER (KTT )-DIRECT WIRE TRANSFER TO YOU BY THE SENATE COMMITTEE FOR FOREIGN OVER DUE FUND TRANSFER. MEANWHILE,A WOMAN CAME TO MY OFFICE FEW DAYS AGO WITH A LETTER,CLAIMING TO BE YOUR TRUE REPRESENTATIVE.
 
HERE ARE HER INFORMATION
NAME MARY LYNN SMITH
BANK NAME: CHASE BANK, NEW YORK.
BANK ADDRESS:NEW YORK, USA.
ACCOUNT Number: 6503809428.
 
PLEASE,DO RECONFIRM TO THIS OFFICE ,AS A MATTER OF URGENCY IF THIS
WOMAN IS FROM YOU SO THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WILL NOT BE HELD
RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING INTO THE WRONG ACCOUNT NAME.THE RESERVE BANK
GOVERNOR,EXECUTIVE, BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE SENATE COMMITTEE FOR
FOREIGN OVER DUE INHERITANCE FUND HAVE APPROVED AND ACCREDITED THIS
REPUTABLE BANK WITH THE OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR,INTERNATIONAL
REMITTANCE / FOREIGN OPERATIONS,TO HANDLE AND TRANSFER ALL FOREIGN
INHERITANCE FUNDS THIS SECOND QUARTER PAYMENT OF THE YEAR.
 
HOWEVER,WE SHALL PROCEED TO ISSUE ALL PAYMENTS DETAILS TO THE SAID
MARY LYNN SMITH, IF WE DO NOT HEAR FROM YOU WITHIN THE NEXT THREE WORKING DAYS FROM TODAY.
 
BEST REGARDS,
 
DR. ALAN SMITH
DIRECTOR,INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE
FOREIGN OPERATIONS DEPT,
NATWEST BANK PLC.
LONDON-UNITED KINGDOM.

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