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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:
- "affidavit of claim" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "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.
Fraud email example:
From: ANTI FRAUD DEPARTMENT <shehubello01@gmail.com>
Reply-To: finance.financeministernigeria@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 20 Aug 2011 14:08:24 -0700
Subject: ANTI FRAUD DEPARTMENT OPERATION
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATION
FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE.
P.M.B. 14, Garki, Abuja.
Tel: +234 803 464 6066
Attn:-Beneficiary,
FINAL RELEASE OF YOUR UN-CLAIMED FUND VALUED AT US$3.6 MILLION BY MY
ADMINISTRATION. Good Day to you and your family as i bring to you
greetings in the name of the LORD.I do like to let you know that your
payment file has been re-opened by my administration and i am now the
Newly Elected Minister of Finance that is in charge of releasing these
fund to you.
I want you to know that your Personal Data which is now in my Office
was forwarded to me by the Central Bank Governor and the Transfer Unit
as well.All your informations have been placed in my database and your
un-claimed fund of US$3.6 Million which is right now lying DORMANT and
UNCLAIMED has now been approved and ready to be released to you due to
the delay from the former Finance Minister and some officials trying
to divert your fund to some unknown people.
Now that i have been appointed by the Acting President Of these great
country ,i am assuring you that you are guaranteed 100% and you also
have every chances to receive these Funds because i have been given an
authority to pay you and the remaining 36 beneficiaries that have been
shortlisted for these month fund release.
Some men came to my office and submited some DOCUMENTS that you signed
and gave them an authority that you are very ill and could not make it
donw to Nigeria to sign and secure the Affidavit of claim ,and they
also demanded that these fund should be paid to them as well of which
i am contacting you to confirm if truely you sent them or not because
if you fail to respond that means i will have to agree to what they
said and issue the Funds to them immediately.
You have to respond (YES or NO) that you really sent them and that i
should pay them or respond and confirm your details below so that i
can be rest assured that you are ready to receive your Funds yourself
because its your name that we have on payment file.
Informations Needed For Verification:
Complete Names:.....................................
Present Address:....................................
Age/Occupation:.....................................
Cell Phone/Fax:.....................................
Next Of Kin:........................................
You should respond back as i await your immediate response.
Regards.
Mr. Olusegun Aganga.
The Newly Elected Minister of Finance,
Federal Republic of Nigeria.
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Anti-fraud resources:
