419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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:
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "transferred into your bank account" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "million united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- ",000,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- "here in united kingdom" (this email uses bad English)
- "unitedtrustbank@skymail.mn" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- "unitedtrustbank@skymail.mn" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: Dr.George Repper <georgerepper_848_82@msn.com>
Reply-To: <unitedtrustbank@skymail.mn>
Date: Sat, 8 Oct 2011 15:12:02 +0000
Subject: REF:- INSTRUCTION TO CREDIT YOUR ACCOUNT WITH THE SUM OF
US$17,000,000.00.

>From the
Management of:
United Trust
Bank,
80 Haymarket
London SW1Y 4TE
London
UK
Tel:-
+44-799-4317-700
http://www.utbank.co.uk

REF:- INSTRUCTION TO CREDIT YOUR ACCOUNT WITH THE SUM OF
US$17,000,000.00.

This is to
notifying you about this said fund.

After due
vetting and evaluation of your file that was sent to us by the Nigeria
Government in conjunction with the Ministry of Foreign Affair and Central Bank
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

This bank
has an instruction to see to the immediate release of the sum of
US$17,000,000.00(Seventeen Million United States Dollars Only). of your
Inheritance fund claim that has been holding since is transferred into your bank
Account from their Domiciliary Account with this Bank.

We were
meant to understand from our findings that you have been going through hard ways
by passing through difficulties to see to the release of your Seventeen Million
United States Dollars Only($17,000,000.00), which has been the handwork of some
miscreant elements from that Country.

The only
thing required from you is to obtain NON-RESIDENT CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE, which
we are not asking you to pay the fee to us here in UNITED KINGDOM as the
Government in conjunction with Ministry of Foreign Affair has paid us for
handling/processing of your Payment with other customers. We will help you to
see that you obtain the mandatory Non-Resident Clearance Certificate so that our
bank will effect the Immediate transfer of your Inheritance Fund Of ($17 000,
000.00) into your designated bank account.

We advice
that you stop further communication with any correspondence from anywhere
concerning your funds, because you don't have to pass through any difficult to
receive your fund, as you have meet up with the whole
requirements.

We know your
representatives in Nigeria or anywhere will advice you to still go ahead with
them, which will be on your own risk.

Your
Seventeen Million United States Dollars Only($17,000,000.00) will reflect into
your designated Bank Account within three (3) Bank working days from the day you
obtain this Non-Resident Clearance Certificate.

We also
advice you not to go through anybody again but only through this Bank if you
really want your fund.

Finally, you
are advice to re-confirm your below information ONLY to our Fund Remittance Dept
with the below email address in other to avoid wrongful transfer of your fund
and also for easy communication: ( unitedtrustbank@skymail.mn )

Your Full
Name:...........
Your Contact
Address:.........
Occupation:.......
Age:............
Private
Telephone:..............

Once again,
you are advice to direct your respond to our Fund Remittance Dept with they
below email address:( unitedtrustbank@skymail.mn )

Your
immediate response is highly needed to enable us commence for the
transfer.
Congratulation to your inheritance fund.

Thanks and
God bless you.
Yours
sincerely,

Dr.George
Repper.
Head Private
Banking Section,
United Trust
Bank London UK.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam