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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: "Mr. Michael Reed"<reedmichaelo23@gmail.com>
Reply-To: <reedmichael023@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 26 May 2020 22:33:13 +0200
Subject: Have you received your Payment?

To whom it may concern:
 
 
 
This is to notify you that your over due inheritance/contract funds has been gazette to be released, via Key Telex Transfer (KTT) -direct wire transfer to you or through any of our correspondent nominated bank, by the parliament committee for finance on foreign over due fund transfer. Meanwhile, a man came to my office few days ago with a letter claiming to be your true representative. Here are his information's for you to confirm to this office if this man is truly from you or not so that the federal government will not be held responsible for paying into any wrong accounts.
 
 
Bank Name: Iberia Bank
Bank Address: 200 West Congress St Lafayette, La 70501 Switzerland
Account Name: Robert Bittencourt
Account Number: 12102116816
ABA Number: 265270413
 
 
Please, do reconfirm to this office, as a matter of urgency if this man is from you so that we can expedite action towards transferring the funds to the stipulated bank account above. However, you are requested to fill and send this information below for verifications purposes in an event that you do not know the stated person above so that your fund will be remitted into your nominated bank account.
 
Information needed from you for verification are as follows:
 
1. Your Full Names:..........................
2. Your Full Address...................
3. Your Tel Number:...........
5. Age.................................
6. Sex:................................
7. Your occupation:....................
 
 
The governor of (Reserve Bank), in conjunction with the ministry of Finance(MOF)executive board of directors and the parliament committee for finance on foreign over due inheritance/contract fund have approved and accredited this reputable bank with the office of the director, international remittance/foreign operations, to handle and transfer of all foreign inheritance/contract funds this last quarter of year bank payment of the 2020.
 
However, we shall proceed to issue all payments details to the said Robert Bittencourt if we do not hear from you within the next seven working days from today. we are sorry for any inconvenience in the delay of transferring of this fund must have caused you.
 
 
 
Regards,
 
Michael  Reed
The Desk of Foreign Operations
Email  reedmichael703@gmail.com

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