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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: "U.S Department of the Treasury" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ustreasury.asset@washington.usa.com>
Date: Wed, 26 Oct 2011 10:28:54 +0100
Subject: Directives To Complete Transaction

FROM THE OFFICE OF MR. TIMOTHY F. GEITHNER
Senior Secretary, Foreign Assets Control
The U.S. Department of the Treasury
Treasury Annex
1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20220
United States of America
Tel: +1-(202) 622-2000
Fax: +1-(202) 478-0979
 
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
 
Our Ref: USA/TREAS/898ATCP
Your ref: USA/IMF/7890/121
 
 
                                      IMF DIRECTIVES TO COMPLETE TRANSACTION
 
Strictly follow this security instruction below and do not disregard any letter from our department with the actual security code ID 7890/121.
 
This message is to notify you that we have taken time to monitor and review your online email communication messages on your unsuccessful transactions with international inheritance/contract insurance and lottery organizations including foreign banks especially in Africa and United Kingdom. We want you to know that we have contacted most of these foreign banks to find out why your funds were withheld, the source of the funds and a final solution to this problem.
 
Conclusively, we discovered that your unpaid contract funds where not properly documented for an international fund transfer and we cannot let these foreign organizations continue to scam you especially now your funds are still not paid into your designated bank account.
 
In joint alliance with the International Monetary Fund to resolve this issue, we want you to understand that we are now in charge of negociating your international fund payment case and to assist you in receiving your awarded funds but only the total sum of Five Million United States Dollars ($5,000,000.00 USD) was approved for payment in order to enable you start up your own business.
 
We have gone through the security manifest booklet of all international outstanding transactions and our extensive investigation confirmed that you are the original owner of this fund. Therefore, we wish to inform you again that we are now making arrangements from our department to process and pay you the outstanding debt of $5,000,000.00 USD owed to you immediately you provide the complete requirements needed for the processing of this payment.
 
It is very important we state that your international transactions will never be released if you ignore this message and you are therefore advised to kindly acknowledge the content of this message by providing the information below for payment formalities.
 
- A scanned copy of your international passport or drivers license:
- Your direct mobile telephone number:
- Your Occupation:
- Your present home address for document delivery:
 
In conclusion, we want you to understand that failure to reply and provide the required information above will nullify your chances of receiving your unclaimed funds and this fund will be confiscated and made to be forfeited under the Money Laundering and Other Financial Crime Prohibition Act of 2003.
 
 
Regards,
Timothy F. Geithner,
Senior Secretary,
Foreign Assets Control.
U.S. Department of the Treasury.
============================================
Questions about this information should be directed to
The U.S. Department of the Treasury
Telephone: +1-(206) 259-6650.

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