joewein.de LLC fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter! Free trial for 30 days

"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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.

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 phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "abuja" (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.
  • +2347025640671
• 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.
  • mr.charles_ojo@yahoo.fr

Fraud email example:

From: "MR. CHARLES OJO" <charlesojo25@msn.com>
Date: Tue, 12 May 2009 07:06:36 +0000
Subject: FUND TRANSFER



SPRING BANK PLC OF NIGERIA
6, SOKODE CRESENT WUSE ZONE 5, ABUJA-NIGERIA
REF: SBN-0XX2/987/09
TEL: +234 702 564 0671
PRIVATE EMAIL: mr.charles_ojo@yahoo.fr
http://www.springbankplc.com


ATTN: BENEFICIARY,


WE HAVE RECEIVED AN INSTRUCTION FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENCY, THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE (FMF), AND THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN PAYMENTS (SCFP), TO PAY YOU YOUR CONTRACT/INHERITANCE FUND FROM OUR BANK (SPRING BANK PLC OF NIGERIA) IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE AFFILIATE BANK USA.

THIS IS TO NOTIFY YOU THAT YOUR CONTRACT/INHERITANCE FUND HAVE BEEN PROGRAMMED FOR IMMEDIATE PAYMENT TO YOU, VIA CENTRAL ATM DEBIT CARD. MEANWHILE, WE WANT YOU TO CLARIFY IF YOU INDEED APPROVE A WOMAN FEW DAYS AGO TO CLAIM YOUR FUND ON YOUR BEHALF, WHO NOW CLAIM THAT SHE IS YOUR REPRESENTATIVE SENT BY YOU TO RECEIVE YOUR FUND. NOTE THAT SHE ACTUALLY TENDERED SOME VITAL DOCUMENT WHICH PROVED THAT YOU ACTUALLY SENT HER FOR THE COLLECTION OF THESE FUNDS. BELOW IS THE LIST OF THE DOUCMENTS WHICH SHE TENDERED TO BANK:

LETTER OF ADMINISTRATION, HIGH COURT INJUNCTION, ORDER TO RELEASE.

DUE TO THE NATURE OF MY JOB, I CANNOT AFFORD TO MAKE ANY MISTAKE IN RELEASING THESE FUNDS TO ANYONE EXCEPT YOU WHO IS THE RECOGNIZED TRUE BENEFICIARY TO THESE FUNDS. NOTE THAT I ASKED HER TO COME BACK NEXT WEEK SO I CAN VERIFY THIS FACT FROM YOU FIRST. KINDLY CLARIFY US ON THIS ISSUE BEFORE WE MAKE THIS PAYMENT TO HER WHO CAME ON YOUR BEHALF.

NOTE THAT WE ARE WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU SHORTLY, AS YOU PROVIDE THE REQUIRED INFORMATION BELLOW TO ENABLE OUR ATM PROCESSING DEPARTMENT TO ISSUE YOUR ATM CARD TO YOU SO THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO CASH YOUR FUND AT ANY ATM MARCHINE ANY WHERE IN THE WORLD. THE REQUIRED INFORMATION IS AS STATED BELOW:

YOUR NAME: YOUR ADDRESS: YOUR TELEPHONE: FAX: AGE: SEX: YOUR OCCUPATION:

NOTE THAT THIS ATM CARD WILL BE SENT TO YOU THROUGH THE COURIER SERVICE SUCH AS FEDEX, UPS OR ANY COUIRER COMPANY OF YOUR CHOICE FOR THE DELIVERY OF YOUR ATM CARD TO YOU FOR YOUR EASY CASHING OF YOUR CONTRACT/INHERITANCE FUND.

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENCY, THIS REPUTABLE BANK HAS BEEN APPROVED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE AFFILIATE BANK USA, THEY HAVE BEEN ACCREDITED TO HANDLE AND MAKE PAYMENT TO ALL FOREIGN CONTRACT/INHERITANCE FUNDS BENEFICIARIES THIS QUARTER PAYMENT OF THE YEAR 2009. WE ARE WAITNG TO HERE FROM YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.


BEST REGARDS,


MR. CHARLES OJO.
MANAGING DIRECTOR/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam