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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: UN Department of State <head.sousah@gmail.com>
Reply-To: un.dopoffice@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 21 Mar 2023 05:40:02 +0100
Subject: Attention. Dear email address owner!

FIU BENIN FINANCIAL INTELLIGENCE UNIT.
Rue 868/2356, Cotonou, Littoral, Republic of Benin.
From the table: Mrs Judith Parker

Attention. Dear email address owner!

I am Ms. Judith Parker, Director and President of the Benin Financial
Intelligence Unit. We would like to inform you that the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington, DC, USA, has visited our country to
investigate victims of all kinds of fraud. You received this information
today because your email address was found on the list of scam victims in
this country and those who failed to complete international transactions.

For more information (IMF), Washington, DC. compensates people who have
been scammed outside of our country and whose email address is on these
victim lists. (IMF) instructed UBA Bank to transfer your USD 2,500,000.00
compensation amount via ATM VISA CARD.

However, we have chosen to use our bank card to wire this amount of
$2,500,000.00 (two million five hundred thousand US dollars) to you. We
cannot make this payment based solely on your email address. Therefore we
need the following information from you;

(1) Your full name:
(2) Your residential address:
(3) Your country:
(4) Zip code:
(5) Your direct phone number:
(6) Scan a copy of your valid ID card or international passport.

Your ATM card is ready for dispatch. You must immediately send the above
information to the email address of Mr. Oliver Alawuba, Director, UBA Bank (
atmpayementtcenter@gmail.com) so that he can register your ATM card with
the delivery company for forwarding to your address.

NOTE: If you find the message in your spam folder (like junk mail), it may
be because of your IP address or a slow internet connection. Please move it
to your inbox before replying.

With respect
Mrs Judith Parker
(FIU) Director / President.

Anti-fraud resources: