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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: "Mr. Michael Adams" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <fbi-update@usa.com>
Date: Thu, 5 Jul 2018 06:46:08 -0700
Subject: Security Alert Update From FBI

Federal Bureau of Investigation
935 Pennsylvania Avenue
Northwest, Washington, D.C
United States of America.


Hi this is Mr. Michael Adams, an information security expert for this is very urgent. Do you know that you’re the subject of an FBI investigation?

Do you know you’re under investigation? Have you been briefed on your file? because this is very serious. If you don’t comply, someone will come and arrest you.

We have been on investigation about your on going transaction which you have with the One World Bank and from all confirmation we discovered that a Checking Account has been setup in your name and your online access has been transfered to you in order to access your account right ? Now listen, you have made some payment in respect to complete this payment from all investigation we the FBI made, we discovered there is a problem for you to complete this Transaction because they are demanding much fee from you.

We the FBI want to inform you that you have been talking to the wrong official of the One World Bank and that is why this Transaction has not bee completed.

Immediately stop all further communication with the One World Bank official who currently send email to you for this will help us get his present location and get hold of him for the false payment he has collected from you.

The Executive Directors as individuals cannot exercise any power nor commit or represent the Bank unless specifically authorized by the Board of Directors to do so. Executive Directors has appointed that you immediately contact Mr. Ade Ayeyemi Group Chief Executive Officer @ Ecobank on Email: (ayeyemi@cash4u.com) and he shall conclude your Fund Payment before Friday.

Yours in Service,

Mr. Michael Adams
US Special Operations
Federal Bureau of Investigation

Anti-fraud resources: