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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: "MIKE BENT" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mikebent@citromail.hu>
Date: Wed, 27 Jul 2022 21:26:39 -0700
Subject: GET BACK TO ME.

DEAR BENEFICIARY,
 
 
AFTER A SERIOUS THOUGHT, I DECIDED TO REACH YOU DIRECTLY AND PERSONALLY
BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST YOU, BUT YOUR LOCAL PARTNERS HERE.
I AM THE DIRECTOR OF WIRE TRANSFER/TELEX DEPARTMENT OF MY BANK,
SOME TIME IN THE PAST YOUR PARTNERS APPROACHED ME THROUGH A
FRIEND OF MINE WHO WORKS WITH HIGH IMF AND REQUESTED THAT I ASSIST THEM CONCLUDE A MONEY TRANSFER DEAL. THEY GAVE ME YOUR NAME AND BANK PARTICULARS AND TOLD ME TO INCLUDE THEM INTO OUR CENTRAL SYSTEM IN THE LAB SO THAT IT WILL APPEAR AS IF YOU ARE ONE OF THE GENUINE INHERITANCE/CONTRACTOR THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED FOR PAYMENT. ACCORDING TO THEM, THEY WANTED TO USE THIS STRATEGY TO TRANSFER A HUGE AMOUNT OF UNITED STATES DOLLARS WHICH THEY PROCESSED THROUGH A COMMERCIAL BANK THE MONEY HAS BEEN FLOATING IN THE BANK, SINCE THE APEX BANK IS THE ONLY AUTHORIZED BANK TO MAKE TRANSFER OF SUCH A HUGE SUM OF
MONEY OUT OF THE COUNTRY. WE AGREED THAT ONCE I DO THIS, THEY WOULD GIVE ME US$100,000.00 AND GIVE ME ANOTHER US$100,000.00 WHEN I RELEASE THE FUND TO YOUR ACCOUNT. WHEN THEY SAW THAT I HAVE DONE IT AND YOUR NAME HAS BEEN APPEARING IN THE SYSTEMS AS AN APPROVED FUNDS AMONG THE LIST OF THOSE TO BE PAID, INSTEAD
OF GIVING ME THE AGREED DEPOSIT OF US$100,000.00, THEY STARTED AVOIDING ME
AND RESORTED TO THREATS. BUT IN TURN, I IMMEDIATELY DELETED THE TRANSFER
CODE OF THE FUND, WHICH IS ONLY KNOWN TO ME BECAUSE OF MY POSITION, I
RELEASED OTHER INHERITANCE/CONTRACTORS FUND WITHOUT YOURS.
THEY BECAME ANGRY THE MORE WHEN THEY SAW THAT THEIR THREAT DID NOT WORK,
AND STARTED BRIBING OTHER OFFICIALS TO GET ANOTHER APPROVAL TO TRANSFER
THE MONEY TO YOU WITHOUT SUCCESS.
 
 
I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I AM 100% RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DELAY AND
OBSTRUCTIONS BECAUSE OF THEIR BREACH OF AGREEMENT. IF YOU DOUBT WHAT I
HAVE JUST TOLD YOU. THIS IS WHAT WILL MAKE YOU TO BELIEVE ME, THEY WILL
KEEP ON ASKING YOU TO PAY AND AFTER A SHORT TIME THEY WILL COME UP WITH
ANOTHER REASON TO PAY AGAIN AND IT GOES ON AND ON. THEY ARE SIMPLY WICKED
MY DEAR. NOW IF YOU WANT US TO WORK TOGETHER, THESE ARE MY CONDITIONS.
 
 
I. I WILL HAVE 5% OF THE MONEY AFTER TRANSFERRING THE FUND TO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT, BECAUSE IT IS ONLY THE TWO OF US LEFT FOR NOW.
 
II. YOU WILL ASSIST MY SON TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT IN YOUR COUNTRY OR ANY OTHER PLACE OF MY CHOICE WHERE YOU WILL PAY IN MY OWN SHARE.
 
III. AS YOU CAN SEE, IT WILL BE USELESS AND MERE WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY IF YOU CONTINUE WITH ANY OTHER PERSON, SO WE WILL CONCLUDE THIS TRANSACTION WITH UTMOST SECRECY WITH THE BELOW EMAIL ADDRESS ONLY.
 
IV. YOU WILL PROVIDE ME WITH YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONE, MOBILE AND FAX NUMBERS AS WELL AS YOUR PRIVATE ADDRESS OR COMPANY'S ADDRESS. (IF ANY) TO FACILITATE EASY COMMUNICATION BETWEEN YOU AND I ONLY.
 
 
IF THESE CONDITIONS ARE ACCEPTABLE TO YOU, CONTACT ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO LET US FINALIZE, SO THAT I WILL SEND THE ONLY OFFICIAL DOCUMENT (KTT)
TO YOU, SO THAT YOU WILL FILL IT OUT CAREFULLY AND RETURN SAME BACK TO ME SO THAT I WILL PROCESS THE TRANSFER OF THE FUND INTO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT AS
YOU MAY INDICATE IN THE KTT FORM. BUT IF YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED, I ADVICE YOU TO FORGET THE FUND AND STOP WASTING YOUR TIME WITH YOUR SO CALLED PARTNERS AND SCAMMERS. DO CONTACT ME ON MY PRIVATE EMAIL THAT IS SAFE EMAIL: (mikebent@citromail.hu)
 
 
BEST REGARDS,
 
MIKE BENT
DIRECTOR, WIRE TRANSFER/TELEX DEPT

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