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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND <mrkennethhoward2@att.net>
Reply-To: dominigueimf@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 2010 18:09:22 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: URGENT REPLY NEEDED FROM YOU FOR THE TRANSFER OF YOUR OVER DUE FUND




  INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND
20 FISKERTON ROAD LINCOLN,LN3 4LA
LONDON-UNITED KINGDOM
EMAIL: dominigueimf@gmail.com
 
Good Day,
 
This is to notify you that your over due inheritance/contract funds value $12.5million has been gazette to be released at WOOLWICH BANK LONDON PLC.
i saw your name in the central computer among the list of unpaid beneficiaries, contractors, lottery winners, inheritance next of kin, that was originated
from united kingdom among the list of individuals and companies that your unpaid fund has been located us.
 
Your name appeared among the beneficiaries who will receive a part-payment of $12.5million has been approved already for you.
Meanwhile, a man came to our office few days ago with a letter authority, claiming to be your true representative.
 
Name: Mr. Brown Johnson
Bank name: Citi bank
Bank address: Arizona, USA.
Account number: 6503809428.
 
Please, do reconfirm to this office, as a matter of urgency if this man is from you I apologize to you on behalf of IMF (international monetary fund) http://www.imf.org/external/np/exr/chron/mds.asp future to pay your funds in time, which according to records in the system had been long overdue.
 
Please get back to me immediately to enable us forward your information of our paying bank in New York so that your funds can be transfer you within 48 hours
Yours sincerely,
 
Mr. Dominique Strauss Kahn
Managing Director IMF.

Anti-fraud resources: