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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: "Inspector Jimoh Moshood" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <nigeriapoliceforce62npf@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2023 04:46:35 -0500
Subject: GOOD NEWS

Attention:Sir/Madam,
 
12-4-2023
 
You may have been expecting an ATM card from a bank in Africa which has never been delivered to you till date after several efforts you made to retrieve the card.
 
We are pleased to inform you now that your transaction was wrongly handled by cheats but God has exposed them and the secret behind your long suffering over the receipt of your payment ATM card has been revealed to us today as your ATM card with Ownership Certificate and other related documents was caught in possession of one Phyllis Little at the departure hall here in Lagos Airport.
 
The arrested criminal who attempted to smuggle out your ATM card to Atlanta is claiming citizen of the United States as indicated in her ID which I will send to you through email attachment for your perusal as soon as you respond to this letter.
 
The criminal confessed she was aided by one Tunde Lemo who work with CBN and one other Government official who is presently working with Federal Ministry of Finance using her initiative to smuggle out the ATM card to the USA so that they can withdraw all the funds loaded in the card and share.
 
Interrogation is still on as the arrested smuggler is now in detention in the CELL while we proceed investigation to trace their agents and crime partners for subsequent prosecution.
 
We have tried to call you with the phone number placed on the parcel with no success but a man called me now from USA with a hidden number claiming ownership of the card thereby asking us to redirect the ATM card to another address he provided in California .
 
This is confusing as I do not know whom to believe at this point since the content in the envelope(ATM CARD) can not be divided into two considering the confessional statement made by the arrested person(Phyllis Little)who told us you are the rightful owner of the fund loaded in the ATM card but you died and made her your next of Kin.
 
Please confirm reality of this information by responding to this message immediately as the Nigerian Police will not be held responsible if this ATM card is shipped to the wrong person due to beneficiary's delay in response or negligence.
 
 
Inspector Jimoh Moshood
Anti Crime Section Nigerian Police Post
Murtala Mohammed Intl Airport Lagos.
 

Anti-fraud resources: