joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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: "FOREIGN OPERATION DEPARTMENT" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <officials2yk16@gmx.com>
Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2018 01:43:12 -0700
Subject: Accrued interest payment

CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR
FOREIGN OPERATION DEPARTMENT
TINUBU SQUARE
LAGOS - NIGERIA
MY DEAREST,
 
I am MR. CHRIS INNOCENT, the DIRECTOR OF FOREIGN OPERATION CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA. I just resume duty after 2 months of break. PLEASE, I WILL LIKE TO ADVICE IF AFTER READING THIS PROPOSAL AND YOU DO NOT ACCEPT IT, KINDLY KEEP IT TO YOURSELF BECAUSE AS AT THIS MOMENT, I AM STILL WORKING WITH CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN) AND I WILL NOT BY ANY MEANS LIKE TO LOSE MY JOB.
I HAVE BEeN WITH THIS BANK FOR OVER 15 YEARS BUT WITHOUT NOTHING TO SHOW FOR IT. HENCE THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SECURE A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR MY FAMILY SINCE THE GOVERNMENT HAS REFUSED TO TAKE CARE OF ITS RESPONSIBILITIES. FROM MY INVESTIGATION, YOU ARE ONE OF THE FUND BENEFICIARIES WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA AND THUS YOU HAVE MET ALL THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS IN RESPECT OF YOUR FUND PAYMENT BUT TILL THESE DAY YOU HAVE RECEIVED NOTHING. PLEASE BE EQUALLY ADVISED THAT CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA IS THE ONLY FINANCIAL INSTITUTION THAT CAN PAY YOUR FUND TO YOU HENCE THERE IS NO OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTION IN AFRICA/WORLD THAT CAN HANDLE YOUR FUND PAYMENT/INHERITANCE FUND IF NOT THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA.
BY MY POSITION AS THE DIRECTOR FOREIGN OPERATION DEPARTMENT, I AM INCHARGE OF ISSUING A VISA ATM CARD AND CERTIFIED BANK DRAFT. AFTER GOING THROUGH OUR RECORD WITH FOREIGN BENEFICIARIES, I HAVE DISCOVERED AN ACCRUED INTEREST AMOUNT OF US$3,330,000 ON OUTSTANDING PAYMENT FUND. THIS ACCRUED INTEREST AMOUNT OF US$3.330.000 IS WHAT I INTEND TO PAY TO YOU SECRETLY VIA ATM CARD. BE QUALLY INFORMED THAT I HAVE WITHDRAWN THE ACCRUED INTEREST AMOUNT OF US$3,330,000 FROM THE DORMANT DOMICILIARY ACCOUNT AND PROCESSED AND UPLOADED IT INTO THE ATM CARD FOR ONWARD DISPATCH TO YOU. I SPENT A TOTAL SUM OF US$1,250 TO PROCESS AND UPLOAD THE ACCRUED INTEREST SUM INTO THE VISA ATM CARD. PLEASE BE INFORMED THAT I HAVE PERFECTED PLANS TO HAVE THIS VISA ATM CARD DELIVERED TO YOU.
 
I WANT TO ASSURE YOU THAT AS THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATION I CAN DELIVER THIS ATM CARD TO YOU WETHIN 3 DAYS IF OBLY YOU WILL COOPERATE WITH ME, BUT YOU HAVE TO ASSURE ME THAT YOU WILL REWARD ME WITH THE SUM OF US$200,000 AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THE VISA ATM CARD AND START MAKING WITHDRAWALS. I AM 100% SURE OF DELIVERING YOUR VISA ATM CARD TO YOU THROUGH THE EMS SPEED POST COURIER. I WANT YOU TO TRUST ME AND I SWEAR NOT TO DISAPPOINT YOU.
I AM NOT INTERESTED IN LONG STORIES OR PROTOCOLS, BUT TO PAY YOU WITH THIS ACCRUED INTEREST AMOUNT OF US$3,330,000. SO IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN GETTING THIS ACCRUED INTEREST AMOUNT OF US$3,330,000 WHICH I HAVE LOADED IN A VISA ATM CARD, KINDLY GET BACK TO ME IMMEDIATELY. PLEASE KINDLY RECONFIRM THE FOLLOWING DETAILS:
1. YOUR FULL NAME:
2. YOUR CONTACT ADDRESS FOR ATM CARD DELIVERY:
3. YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER:
4. YOUR ACCUPATION:
Once I RECEIVE YOUR ACCEPTANCE MAIL, I WILL GIVE YOU DETAILS FOR THE DELIVERY OF YOUR VISA ATM CARD TO YOUR ADDRESS.
REGARDS,
MR.CHRIS INNOCENT
Director of Operation
DIRECTOR FOREIGN OPERATION DEPARTMENT
Central Bank of Nigeria

Anti-fraud resources: