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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: FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION <officefilexzxz@gmail.com>
Reply-To: westernuniontransfer2012@kimo.com
Date: Sun, 4 Feb 2018 22:42:20 -0800
Subject: INVESTIGATION OF YOUR FUND TRANSFER HAS BEING COMPLETED LAST FRIDAY
SO CONTACT MR.BENSON AGU OF WESTERN UNION IMMEDIATELY.

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION FBI
WASHINGTON D.C ROOM,7367
J. EDGAR HOOVER FBI BUILDING
935 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE,
NW WASHINGTON, DC 20535,

RE: FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION SEEKING TO WIRETAP THE INTERNET

Attention: Customer

Please be informed that the federal bureau of investigation has completed
an investigation on the money transfer issue in which you presently have
with your present transaction agents.your transaction has already been paid
out to the internal revenue service of Nigeria whom have presently placed
an hold on your transaction due to failure to pay the Nigeria government
tax clearance for your funds.

According to the federal bureau of investigation, the real amount of your
money is $800,000 us dollars and it has been dispatched to the Nigeria
western union head office foreign operations manager "Mr.Benson Agu" whom
is presently in-charge of your transaction. it has been designated that the
sum of $8,000 be paid to you daily using western union money transfer,
therefore your funds is presently with western union and has been placed on
hold.

Presently,the funds are in the western union system and once you have paid
the Nigeria tax clearance in the amount of $85, your funds will not be
released.you are required to pay the sum of $85 to the foreign operations
manager whom shall deposit to the Nigeria tax system directly and once this
has been completed, the money will then be changed into your name and
released for pay-out immediately.

In order to prove that your funds are in the western union system, i would
require that you go to their website and then click on the "check transfer"
or "transfer status", you will then be required to enter the mtcn control
number as well as the sender's name. kindly enter the following information
below:

Sender's first name: john
Sender's last name: frank
Mtcn------007-20-14-064
Amount:--- $8,000 usd

You cannot pick up the funds as of yet because the payment was not sent to
your name but an anonymous name, once you have paid the required $85 for
the Nigeria tax clearance, the money will be released after 12 hours and
shall be made payable to you.please note that this is the only required fee
needed to complete your transaction, therefore you are required to
immediately proceed to a western union money transfer outlet and then
request to send $85 to the following information below:

Receiver;--------FRANK NZEH
Country.---------Nigeria
Test question:---What for?
Answer:----------Release
Amount;----------$85

Once you have completed the western union transaction, you will be required
to call or send Mr.Benson an e-mail; with the following information below:

Sender's first name:
Sender's last name:
10 digit mtcn control number given on receipt:
Sender's phone number:

Please send the above requested information to the following information
below:
Contact name: Mr.Benson Agu
Contact E-mail;westernuniontransfer2012@kimo.com

If you are able to send the $85 immediately, the receiver's name on the
money transfer will be changed into your name and immediately be ordered
for release in only 12 hours. therefore, kindly proceed towards completing
your transaction and send Mr.Benson Agu with required information.

Thanks
Christopher A. Wray,
Washington d.c room,7367
J. Edgar hoover FBI building
935 Pennsylvania avenue,
NW Washington, dc 20535
Foreign transfer investigations in charge.

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