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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:
- This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "farida waziri" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs.Farida Waziri" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrs.farida.wazirioffice@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 2010 13:28:00 -0800
Subject: Attention:Honourable Beneficiary
Presidential Committee On Foreign Payments
Foreign Remittance Department
Economic & Finacial Crime Commission {EFCC}NIGERIA
Attention:Honourable Beneficiary and Happy New Year'
Going by series of petition received from International Body on the way your
inheritance fund was handled by our correspondence office.After Extensive close
door meeting with Board of Directors and other Stake holders in the Government,
Subcommittees of the House Of Assembly and the House of Rep , republic of Nigeria.
It was Resolved and Agreed upon that your inheritance Fund would be released on a special method of payment, which tag Name Reads TELEGRAPHIC WIRE TRANSFER(TWT).This method of payment is designed by the Government to avert fraud perpetration or stoppage of fund by Some Agencies.Either Through Anti Terrorist Certificate or other certificates.This TELEGRAPHIC WIRE TRANSFER would be issued to release your fund upon meeting with the Bank Requirement.This office, has Been Mandated to take charge of the Issuance of the FUND.And that your inheritance payment file should be passed to my desk for clarification.
Upon Certification that your file is ok.This Office would Direct you on how to receive your over Due inheritance fund via TELEGRAPHIC WIRE TRANSFER(TWT).The FUND would be release to your respected bank account accordingly via (twt). In the light of this aforementioned, You are required to furnish this office with the following information.
Your Name.
Address.
Median Name.
Your Next of Kin Name and your date of Birth.
Your telephone number and fax.
This Information's would be used in complection of your fund release to your bank account with due respect. Upon completion and confirmations of the above details to be sure that we are dealing with the right person and owner to the fund to avoid miss transfer of fund to the wrong person for security reasons.
Urgently furnish this office with your Contact information in order to reconfirm if it's in line with the one contained in our payment data. Be informed that your fund has been called back and it's now in a suspense Account here in Our Bank.
A new Account has to be opened in your Name Before The fund is issued.
Waiting for an urgent response.
Yours Faithfully
Mrs.Farida Waziri.
TELEGRAPHIC WIRE TRANSFER Payment System
Presidential Committee On Foreign Payments
Foreign Remittance Department
Economic & Finacial Crime Commission {EFCC}NIGERIA
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