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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs Michelle A Smith" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <powerinthewords@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Sun, 7 Aug 2016 14:46:42 -0400
Subject: Dear Friend,

Dear Friend ,

My name is Mrs Michelle A Smith from Federal reserve Board covering the Citi bank in Wichita Falls and Denton, also Assistant to the Board and Director of federal reserve system. I contacted you, after i have look into your profile.I will like us to handle a transaction of $56 Million Dollar, that have be abandon for years by one of our late customer that have the same last name with you. Since i work in Federal reserve, i want us to legally move the fund out. You will only apply as the beneficiary for the claim as the next of kin or family relative, since you have the same last name with our late customer. I will send you the remittance department detail that you will contact for the claim of the fund. I will send you the deposit certificate and formal letter that you will forward to the remittance department for the claim of the fund.

We will share the money 50/50% once the fund have be release to you, and to your nominated account. Please i don’t want you to tell anyone about this, because i do not want anyone to know my involvement on this deal, since i work with the federal reserve system. I need your trust and honestly on this deal. Most of the top bank officer make their money through this kind of deal. I will like to talk to you on phone for more detail. Please before i proceed with this deal. I want you to assure me that this transaction would be keep secret between both of us, that you will not inform any one about this. And also assure me that you will be capable of handling this transaction, because this is just the first transaction, there are still more transaction that we will do after this. Please provide me with your information on the below form.

(1) Full name
(2).Residential address, not P.O.Box
(3). Cell phone/Telephone and fax numbers.
(4). Occupation.
(5). Age
(6). Marital status.
(7). A copy of your identification.

Awaiting your prompt respond.

Mrs Michelle A Smith

Anti-fraud resources: