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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: Idris Musa <musadriss@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 23 May 2011 21:50:56 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Compliment of the day


FROM THE DESK OF MR LAMIDO SANUSI
EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR, CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN)
OUR REF: CBN/OHG/OXD1/2011
YOUR REF:.................
TELEX: CENBANK.
PAYMENT FILE: CBN/BEN/013

          CBN DEBT PAYMENT NOTICE OF YOUR FUNDS

Attn: Beneficiary,

From  the Executive Governor Of The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Executive Chairman of "E.C.D.R". Your name was discovered among the list of unpaid contractors, inheritance next of kin and lotto beneficiaries which their account has entered into dormant. 

I wonder why you have not claim your fund before now. For your information, (Mr. Tim Parker and Mr. Rowland Gulf) visited our office in your stead to inform us that they are your representatives from United State and you send them to claim your funds for you.

In fact, we do not understand why you sent these men to come and claim your funds on your behalf, if actually you want them to help you claim your inheritance part payment bill sum of US$4.2 Million (Four Million Two Hundred  Thousand Dollars Only), at least you should have informed the Executive Governor of this Bank. They actually tendered some vital documents which proved that you actually sent them for the claim of this fund. Honestly, it really baffles the Governor that you took such decision without his consent. Those documents which they tendered to this noble bank are a clear proof that you sent them to claim this fund for you.
 
Finally, the Governor told them to inform you that the account has entered into dormant and need reactivation before he can release the fund to them which they wanted to reactivate it immediately without informing you but Governor refused and told them to come back to enable us confirm from you before he will release this part payment sum of US$4.2 Million to them. Due to the nature of his job, He will not want to make any mistake in releasing this fund to anyone except you whom is the recognized bonafide beneficiary of this fund.
 
Kindly clarify us on this issue before we make this payment to these men whom came on your behalf. In receipt of this confidential letter, you are required to reply to this mail immediately you received it.
 
Yours truly,

Mr. Idris Musa.
Secretary to CBN Governor.

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