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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: "George Patrick Morrison" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <morrisongeorgepatrick@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 16 Jan 2018 13:38:25 -0500
Subject: PAYMENT NOTIFICATION: Change of Ownership_

Bank of America
PAYMENT FILE: RSB/BEN/18.

PAYMENT NOTIFICATION: Change of Ownership

Attn.

I know that this letter will be a surprising one to you. Firstly, I will like to introduce myself formally as Mr. George P. Morrison, The Executive Supervisor of Bank of America. I am officially contacting you today because your Uncaimed Funds were Re-deposited into the "Federal Suspense Account" of International Monetary Fund-IMF because you did not forward your Claim as the Rightful beneficiary Well known to all, The Bank of America has the singular right to release the fund with a direct transfer as an affiliate to IMF regarding this unclaimed fund.

Some men were here from Laos on Monday 9th of January saying you directed them to collect the funds on your behalf, they were here to collect the Lottery Prize money in Sum of TEN MILLION US DOLLARS (US$10,000,000.00) which rightfully belong to you.

This Bank do not understand why you sent these men to collect your Funds on your behalf. If actually you want them to collect your fund, at least you should inform us. They tendered some Vital Documents, which proved that you actually sent them for the Collection of the Fund. Honestly, it really baffles me that you took such decision without my consent.

Here are the Documents, which they tendered to this Bank:

1. LETTER OF ADMINISTRATION.
2. HIGH COURT INJUNCTION.
3. ORDER TO RELEASE.

Kindly confirm that we should make the Payment to these foreigners whom came on your behalf. However, if you didn't send these men to recieve the payment on your behalf, then we will need administrative fee of US$507.00 to process the transfer of the funds to the account that you will provide. In receipt of this confidential Letter, you are required to respond immediately to this email : with your full name, address and phone number on (morrisongeorgepatrick@gmail.com) for confirmation and immediate action.

Yours,

Mr. George P. Morrison
The Executive Supervisor

Anti-fraud resources: