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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: "Mr. James F. Entwistle" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <usaembassy.nig0444@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 21 May 2016 00:04:19 +0100
Subject: (WE HAVE CONFIRMED FOR FINAL PAYMENT IN YOUR NAME.)

Greeting from U.S Embassy,
 
THIS MAIL IS ONLY FOR THE OWNER OF THIS E-MAIL ADDRESS
 
                EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
            2 Walter Carrington Crescent Victoria Island, Nigeria
                          EMAI L:usaembassy.nig044@gmail.com
                           DIRECT PHONE NO: 234-8080577705
                             DIRECT FAX NO 1 9526581344
 
Ref: FCC/10746/VCP3-14
 
 
IRREVOCABLE PAYMENT NOTICE:
 
 
DEAR SIR,
 
 
THIS IS SEQUEL TO  THE MEETING I HAD TODAY WITH   THE DIRECTORS OF MINISTRY OF FINANCE. I WISH TO INFORM YOU THAT THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF YOUR INHERITANCE FUND APPROVED BY THE NIGERIA GOVERNMENT FOR RELEASE TO YOU IS ONLY $8.2 MILLION   .WE HAVE DECIDED TO TAKE THIS ISSUE UPON OURSELVES TO SAFEGUARD YOU FROM THESE CRIMINAL MINDED INDIVIDUALS  WHOSE ONLY INTEREST WAS TO EXTORT MONEY AND FEES FROM YOU.
 
 
THIS IS IN LINE WITH THE AGREEMENT I SIGNED WITH THE NIGERIA GOVERNMENT ON MY ASSUMPTION OF OFFICE AS THE USA AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA, RESULTING FROM COMPLAINS WE RECEIVED DAILY ON SCAMS IN
NIGERIA AND IN AFRICA, ASIAN AND EUROPE ETC.
 
 
SO YOU ARE HEREBY ADVISED TO CONTACT ZENITH  BANK NIGERIA PLC ON THIS EMAIL ADDRESS :peter_amangbo015@mail.ru  AND RECONFIRM YOUR, FULL NAME,YOUR MAILING/BILLING INFORMATION,YOUR DIRECT PHONE/FAX NUMBERS THE NAME OF YOUR  NEXT OF KIN AND A COPY OF YOUR INTERNATIONAL PASSPORT OR DRIVERS LICENSE IDENTIFICATION  TO ENABLE US PUT THIS THINGS ON RECORD AND IMMEDIATE TAKE DELIVERY OF YOUR ATM CARD.
 
 
HOWEVER,ALWAYS KEEP ME POSTED AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE YOUR ATM CREDIT CARD   VALUE OF YOUR FUND.YOU WILL NOT BE REQUIRE TO MAKE ANY UPFRONT PAYMENT HERE.
 
 
WE HAVE CALCULATED AND APPROVED THE ARRIVAL OF YOUR ATM CARD TO BE WITHIN THREE DAYS UPON THE RECEIPT OF THE ABOVE DETAILS
 
 
REGARDS,
 
                              
Mr. James F. Entwistle.
United States Ambassador to {Nigeria}

Anti-fraud resources: