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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Foreign Operation Department" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <unitedgroupdept@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2011 11:42:40 -0700
Subject: Confirm The Information And Report Back Immediately(Matter of Urgency)


Foreign Operation Department
Central Bank of Nigeria
Ref: CBN/IRD/CBX/04/2011
Phone: (+234)-802 792 1700

ATTN: DID YOU AUTHORIZE MR. LAWRENCE OWEN TO CLAIM YOUR FUND.

We have on this 2011, received a payment credit instruction from the Nigeria Government and the United State president in collaboration with IMF and World Bank to credit your account with your full funds valued at $4.750,000.000.00 (FOUR MILLION SEVEN HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY ) from the government reserve account with our bank.

Note as our bank have just finished programming your file for the transfer to commence immediately, our bank received the below notice from some body who goes by the name MR. LAWRENCE OWEN so we decided to contact you in person before the transfer commences tomorrow so that we do not transfer this money into the wrong person account.

Our bank hereby sends to you the information submitted by MR. LAWRENCE OWEN with an application to receive the contract payment on your behalf. Please as a matter of urgency, you are required to verify the following information and inform us if you are aware or know anything about this.

1. Did you instruct one MR. LAWRENCE OWEN, whose information's is below, to claim and receive the payment on your behalf? 2. Did you sign any "Deed of Assignment" in his favor thereby making him the current beneficiary with the following account details.

Account Name; Owdeco/Lawrence w. Owen jr.
Bank Account #; 5048638
Bank Routine; 053207370
Bank of Travelers Rest
42 Plaza drive, travelers rest, s.c.29690 USA
Id attached;

Finally, you are hereby advised to indicate to this honorable office with immediate effect, if you are the person that instructed MR. LAWRENCE OWEN to come for the claim of these funds, to enable me endorse for the final payment.

You are hereby advised to reconfirm your full details to the bank as follows.

1. Full Names
2. Contact Address
3. Contact Phone Number
4. Age
5. Occupation
6. Any valid Id card, Drivers License or International Passport.

NOTE: for security reasons, the office code to this office is UNITED WE STAND, because of the fact that a lot of people has been using the name of this honorable office to scam people, so any email you receive without this office code, it is not coming from me and pay no attention to such email, kindly forward it to my office.

Meanwhile? We will submit your File to the REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT OFFICE for immediate payment to you as soon as you get back to us regards to the options you choose to receive your payment, you are to call me on my telephone +234-802 792 1700 for more vital information.

Mr. Sanusi Lamido Sanusi
Executive Governor, Central Bank Of Nigeria (CBN)

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