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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: "JANET BROWN" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <cbpayreview@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 23 Nov 2017 05:30:47 -0800
Subject: Reply Urgent


Dear Beneficiary,

My name is MISS. JANET BROWN, I am a Computer Scientist working with Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). I am 25 years old, just started working with CBN.

I came across your payment file marked X and your release disk painted RED. I took time to study it and tried to find out why your funds were not released to you. Those evil bank officials can never tell you the truth that they won't release the fund to you; instead they allow you spend your hard earned money unnecessarily while they claim to send you ATM Card, Wire transfer, Bank Draft, Cash delivery etc. Your money is still here in the Bank of Nigeria.

I do not intend to work here forever; I can help you claim your fund if you can certify me of my security and assure me that you would compensate with me after you must have received your payment. I must do this because you need to know the status of your payment and cause for the delay. This is like a Mafia setting in Nigeria and you may not understand because you are not a Nigerian.

The only thing needed to release this fund to you is the Original INTERNATIONAL TRANSFER PERMIT (ITP), which will be tendered to any of your nominated bank and the Internal Revenue Service IRS for clearance of the transferred amount in your account. Once the Original TRANSFER PERMIT is obtained, fund will immediately reflect in your bank within 24 HOURS.

The only authorized and sincere person who will issue you the Original Documents is DR. IBRAHIM BELLO. Make sure you indicate your file marked letter X and tell him its stamped color Red so he will be able to recognize your file.

The president made a compensation fund release for all unpaid beneficiaries/contractors and scam victims. Therefore, you are going to receive a total sum of $2,700,000.00 (TWO MILLION SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS) for this year 2017 as recorded in your file here and will be transferred to your bank account as soon as the Original document is obtained.

Do get back to me ASAP if you are ready to claim your fund so that I can give you further direction and contact of DR. IBRAHIM BELLO.

Yours sincerely,
MISS. JANET BROWN.

Anti-fraud resources: