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.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: "tunde lemo" <tlemo77@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: tlemo2@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 14 Nov 2005 07:51:28 -0600
Subject: WE WRITE TO ENQUIRE FROM YOU IF YOU HAVE SENT SOMEBODY FROM LEBANON

BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN)
DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL
REMMITANCY/ TELEX DEPARTMENT.
DEAR SIR/MADAM

CONPLIMENT OF THE SEASONS RE: LETTER OF ENQUIRY ON CONTRACT PAYMENT.
WE WRITE TO ENQUIRE FROM YOU IF YOU HAVE SENT SOMEBODY FROM LEBANON by
this
name MR AUDu MOHAMMED AND SOME NIGERIA REPRESENTATIVE TO THE CENTRAL
BANK OF
NIGERIA
(CBN) TO MAKE CLAIM ON YOUR BEHALF.YESTERDAY AT ABOUT 10.00 AM NIGERIA
TIME,
MR AUDU MOHAMMED AND YOUR NIGERIAN REPRESENTATIVE WALKED INTO THE BANK
SAYING THAT YOU HAVE SENT THEM TO CHANGE YOUR BANK ACCOUNT AND PUT
CLAIM ON
YOUR BEHALF OF YOUR CONTRACT SUM. I INITIALLY INSTRUCTED FOR THE
RELEASE OF
THE FUND TO THEM AS A MATTER OF FACT WHEN THEIR FILE WAS CHECKED ALL
THE
OBLIGATORY DOCUMENTS WAS INTACT, BUT ON CROSS CHECKING OF YOUR OWN FILE
WITH
US WE FOUND SOME MANIPULATION IN THEIR FILE IT WAS THEN DISCOVERED THAT
THE
BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER PRESENTED WAs DIFFERENT FROM
YOURS AND THE BENEFICARY OF THE ACCOUNT THE BROUGHT IS CHANGORI AND
CHANGORI
WHICH MADE US TO SUSPECT THEM. INVIEW OF THIS, YOU NEED TO RECONFIRM
INFORMATION BELOW TO ASCERTAIN IF THE CONTRACT INFORMATIONS ARE CORRECT
OR
NOT, ALSO RECONFIRM YOUR BANKING INFORMATION TO US TO AVOID MISTAKE IN
TRANSFER.
1) CONTRACT NUMBER: NNPC/KADREF/00453/PED-1998
2) CONTRACT AMOUNT: $28.4M
AS SOON AS YOU RECONFIRM ABOVE INFORMATION TO US, WE WILL NOT HESITATE
TO TRANSFER YOUR CONTRACT SUM INTO YOUR NOMINATED BANK ACCOUNT AS WE
HAVE
BEEN GIVEN A MANDATE BY THE PRESIDENCY TO RELEASE ALL CONTRACTORS FUND
UNDER 72HOURS PENDING THE TIME HE/SHE COMPLIES TO THIS NOTICE.
ACCORDING TO OUR ATTORNEY, YOUR REPRESENTATIVES ARE REQUESTED TO
FORWARD
A POWER OF ATTORNEY FROM YOU, INFORMING THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
(CBN)
OF THE CHANGE IN ACCOUNT NUMBER UNTIL THIS MOMENT WE NEVER SEE THEM,
COULD YOU PLEASE TELL THIS BANK IF YOU WERE THE PERSON SENT THIS TWO
GENTLE
MAN FOR THIS MISSION.WE HAVE DEEMED IT NECESSARY TO CONTACT YOU AND
ASCERTAIN THE TRUE POSITION IN OTHER TO AVOID REMITTING THESE FUNDS
INTO A
WRONG ACCOUNT. COULD
YOU PLEASE CONTACT THE UNDERSIGNED THROUGH THE EMAIL,, TO CONFIRM THIS
MATTERS
BEFORE WE START TAKING LEGAL ACTION, BUT IF THEY ARE FROM YOU, KINDLY
GIVE
THEM THE POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR THE PAYMENT OF THE CONTRACT FUNDS INTO
THE BANCO BILBAO VIZCAYA (BBV) URB.JARDINES DEL PUERTO-LOCAL 8,E-29600
PUERTO JOSE BANUS, MARBELLA - SPAIN
PLEASE NOTE, BY THE AUTHORITIES OF THE PRESIDENCY IN LINE WITH THE
ENABLING DECREE OF 512? A, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE RELEVANT BODIES;
THE
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERI (CBN), THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC INTELLIGENCE
COMMITTEE
(NEIC)
AND THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE (FMF), WE HAVE RESOLVED THAT ALL
OVERDUE CONTRACT PAYMENTS BE RELEASED THIS QUARTER IN ABSOLUTE
COMPLIANCE TO
THEI.M.F AND WORLD BANK MANDATORY CONDITIONS OF SERVICE TO OUR FOREIGN
CAPITAL DEBTS. BASED ON THIS, THIS OFFICE HAS BEEN MANDATED BY THE
PRESIDENCY TO
HANDLE ALL PAYMENTS DUE TO FOREIGN CONTRACTORS. YOU SHOULD THEREFORE
DISREGARD ANY CORRESPONDENCE THAT YOU MAY HAVE OR MAY COME TO YOU FROM
ANY
OTHER DEPARTMENT.PLEASE ASSIST US TO EXPEDITE ACTION AND REACH ME
IMMEDIATELY AS YOU RECEIVE THIS MAIL NOW. I AM IN THE OFFICE WAITING
FOR
YOUR RESPONSE.

ALSO FORWARD YOUR PHONE AND FAX NUMBERS WHERE THIS BANK WILL REACH YOU
AS
SOON AS YOUR PAYMENT IS EFFECTED.

ANTICIPATING YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE AND CO-OPERATION.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,
MR.TUNDE LEMO.
FOR: CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN).
DIRECTOR FOR TELEX DEPT


Anti-fraud resources: