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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: "FROM: STANDARD CHARTERED BANK" <tarbonm@live.co.za>
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 2010 16:02:52 -0000
Subject: FROM: STANDARD CHARTERED BANK,

FROM: STANDARD CHARTERED BANK,
9TH FLOOR, STANDARD BANK CENTRE,
5 SIMMONDS STREET , PO BOX 7725
JOHANNESBURG ,
SOUTH AFRICA (SA).

COMPLIMENT,

THERE ARE TWO GENTLEMEN WHO CAME TO OUR BANK THIS MORNING, CLAIMING THAT
THEY ARE YOUR REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUNDS (IMF)
AND THE WORLD BANK BENEFICIARY ALLOWANCE PAYMENT ($3.5 MUSD ONLY).

ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED YOUR ACCOUNT INFORMATIONS WHERE
THEY CONFIRMED YOU WANT YOUR ALLOWANCE PAYMENT OF $3.5, MUSD TO BE
TRANSFERED, BUT WE REALLY WANT TO INFORM YOU BEFORE WE GO AHEAD TO MAKE
THIS TRANSFER BECAUSE THIS DEPARTMENT WAS JUST SET UP FOR THESE PURPOSE,
AND WE WILL BE CONCLUDING WITHIN 7 WORKING DAYS. THEREFORE WE REALLY
WANT TO FINALIZE THIS TRANSFER BEFORE THE DEMISE OF THE MANDATED 7
WORKING DAYS.

PLEASE COMMUNICATE WITH US FASTER TODAY.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,

MR TARBO NYETE.
HEAD OFFICER

Anti-fraud resources: