joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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. NICHOLAS J. SMITH" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <nicolassmithr2@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2010 23:04:07 -0000
Subject: YOUR OUTSTANDING PAYMENT.

Attention: Beneficiary.
 
 
Note: This e-mail may contain PRIVILEGED and CONFIDENTIAL information and
is intended only for the use of the specific individual(s) to which it is
addressed. If you are not an intended recipient of this e-mail, you are
hereby notified that any unauthorized use, dissemination or copying of this
e-mail or the information contained in it or attached to it is strictly
prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please delete it
and immediately notify the person named below by reply e-mail.Thank you.
Message.
 
 
Hello,
 
Ref: Immediate payment of outstanding credit value (UDS15.5Million)
 
This is to urgently bring to your notice that the world Bank Delegation temporally sitting   
in Nigeria is working  with the Intercontinental Bank of Nigeria plc ,
the Intercontinental Bank of Nigeria plc (ICB) and the world bank dlegation  have resolved  to transfer
your outstanding credit value USD15,500,000,00 Fifteen
Million Five Hundred Thousand United state Dollars only into an account that wil be 
nominated by you  through wire transfer KTT OR by ATM SWIFT PAYMENT CARD.
 
 
The resolution is in line to make sure that all CONTRACT,INHERITANCE , 
COMPENSATION and LOTTERY WINNERS  FUNDS are paid to their respective
beneficiaries. This measure is to augment the inability of the CBN to conclude the
said transaction due to lack of logistics and irregularities as petitioned
against the CBN and other local banks by concerned beneficiaries through FBI investigation unit USA.
 
Also there is an urgent need for you to reach the below officer immediately
as we keep on getting letters and emails from people who  claimed  to be
your next of kin stating that you are terminally ill and that you have 
authorized  them to receive your fund on your behalf, as a result of your ill
healt which you are not sure to survive .
 
Therefore, you are most required to forward to the Intercontinental Bank
Plc your personal contact datas as listed below, and also confirm to the payment officer if
you have authorized your next of kin to receive your payment on your behave.
 
1. Full name:...................
2. Full address:........................
3. Phone..........Mobile:........& fax:..............
4. Your Age:.......Sex:..........& Your current occupation.,
5. And your identification either inter/ passport or driver license.
 
 
For further enquiries and proceeding on the transaction, kindly contact the
below person with the above details accordingly,
 
MR. NICHOLAS J. SMITH
INTERNATIONAL REMITANCE DIRECTOR
INTERCONTINENTAL BANK PLC (ICB)
Email;nicolassmithr2@yahoo.co.jp
 
Thank you and expecting your urgent response.
 
DR. Roland Thomas.
Senior Managing Director
Security & Investigation
World Bank office,
Geneva Switzerland
 

Anti-fraud resources: