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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: EFCC EFCC <efccefcc888@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2012 04:42:25 -0700
Subject: Attention: Beneficiary, (ADAM)


*Attention: Beneficiary,*

* *

*The Federal Government of Nigeria through provisions in Section 419 of the*

*Criminal Code came up with punitive measures to deter and punish
offenders. *

* *

*The Advance Fee Fraud section deal mainly with cases of advance*

*fee fraud(commonly called 419) such as obtaining by false pretence through*

*different fraudulent schemes e.g. contract scam, credit card scam,*

*inheritance scam, job scam, loan scam, lottery scam, “wash wash” scam
(money washing scam), marriage scam. Immigration scam, counterfeiting and
religious scam. It also investigates cyber crime cases.*

* *

*This is to officially announce to you that some scam Syndicates were*

*apprehended in Lagos, Nigeria few days ago and after several interrogations
*

*and tortures your details were among those mentioned by some of the scam*

*Syndicates as one of the victims of their operations.*

* *

*After proper investigations and research at Western Union Money Transfer
and Money Gram office to know if you have truly sent money to the scam*

*Syndicates through Western Union Money Transfer or Money Gram, your name
was found in Western Union Money Transfer database amongst those that have
sent money through Western Union Money Transfer to Nigeria and this proves
that you have truly been swindled by those unscrupulous persons by sending
money to them in the course of getting one fund or the other that is not
real, right now we are working hand in hand with Western Union and Interpol
to track every fraudsters down, do not respond to their e-mails, letters
and phone calls any longer they are scammers and you should be very careful
to avoid being a victim to fraudsters any longer because they have nothing
to offer you but to rip-off what you have worked hard to earn.*

* *

*In this regard a meeting was held between the Board of Directors of The*

*Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and as a consequence of
our investigations it was agreed that the sum of Two hundred thousand US
Dollars (US$200,000) should be transferred to you out of the funds that
Federal Government of Nigeria has set aside as a compensation to everyone
who have by one way or the other sent money to fraudsters in Nigeria.*

* *

* *

*We have deposited your fund at Western Union Money Transfer agent location*

*EMS Post office Lagos, Nigeria. We have submitted your details to them so*

*that your fund can be transferred to you.*

* *

*Contact the Western Union agent office through the email address stated*

*below inform them about this notification letter and the transfer of your*

*fund;*

* *

*Email: efccefcc888@gmail.com*

Call me on my direct telephone number once you get this message for more
details. Tel: 234-8080804988. <efccefcc888@gmail.com>*
<efccefcc888@gmail.com>*

* *

*Yours sincerely,*

* *

*Mr. David Brown*

*Assistant Investigation Officer.*

*The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)*

*15A Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.*

*Nigeria*

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