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joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
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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:
- The following fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "to your nominated bank account" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "hundred thousand united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "diplomatic delivery" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "international remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "charles c. soludo" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +2348063462777 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
- This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
Fraud email example:
From: charlesudo8@freenet.de
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 10:46:57 +0100
Subject: IMMEDIATE FUND RELEASE NOTIFICATION
INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT
CORPORATE HEAD QUARTERS TINUBU
SQUARE,
MARINA LAGOS NIGERIA.
Our Ref : CBN/IRD/CBX/021/04
Private
Email: soludo_cbn2007@sify.com
Telephone Number:+234-80634627777
ATTN: Beneficiary,
IMMEDIATE FUND RELEASE NOTIFICATION
I
am in acknowledgement and reconfirmation of your personal details and
your email, in regards to your contract payments of
US$5.7M,(fivemillion,Seven Hundred Thousand United States Dollars only
which was corfirmed to be true after due verification.
PAYMENT
VIA DIPLOMATIC DELIVERY
This is to notify you that your funds has
been programmed for immediate release into your nominated account but we
can not transfer this funds direct to your nominated bank account,
because we are having a problem with International Monetary Fund (IMF)
so our method of payment is by Diplomatic Courier Service.Note; that
every arrangement regarding your cash payment through diplomatic
services has been made, note that your funds have been package like a
consignment. Be inform that the Diplomatic Agency has to move down to
your Country in order to deliver your consignment at your door step.
I want you to forward your postal,direct telephone number and your
residential address to me immediately, so that as soon as the diplomatic
arrive in your country they will call you immediately to notify you that
they have arrived your country.Reply to this email address for security
reasons: soludo_cbn2007@sify.com
YOURS SINCERELY,
PROFESSOR
CHARLES C. SOLUDO
GOVERNOR, CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN)
Anti-fraud resources:
