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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: "Sanusi Lamido" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <payment_cbn@zoho.com>
Date: Sat, 15 Dec 2012 22:03:08 -0500
Subject: Transfer Notice

GREETING TO YOU:

ARE YOU AWARE OF THIS?

YOUR OVER DUE INHERITANCE FUND SUM OF US$10.5MILLION UNITED STATES
DOLLARS.THIS IS TO NOTIFY YOU THAT YOUR OVER DUE INHERITANCE FUND HAS BEEN GAZETTED AND AWAITING RELEASE, VIA ATM VISA CARD TO YOU BY THE SENATE COMMITTEE FOR FOREIGN OVER DUE FUND PAYMENT. MEANWHILE, A WOMAN CAME TO MY OFFICE FEW DAYS AGO WITH A LETTER, CLAIMING TO BE YOUR TRUE REPRESENTATIVE. HERE ARE HER INFORMATION:

NAME: MRS. JANET WHITE
BANK NAME: CITY BANK
BANK ADDRESS: ARIZONA
ACCOUNT NUMBER: 6503809428

PLEASE, DO RECONFIRM TO THIS OFFICE AS A MATTER OF URGENCY IF THIS
WOMAN IS FROM YOU SO THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING INTO THE WRONG ACCOUNT NAME. THE RESERVE BANK GOVERNOR, EXECUTIVE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE SENATE COMMITTEE FOR FOREIGN OVERDUE INHERITANCE FUND HAVE APPROVED AND ACCREDITED THIS REPUTABLE BANK WITH THE OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE / FOREIGN OPERATIONS, TO HANDLE AND RELEASE ALL FOREIGN INHERITANCE FUNDS THIS FIRST PAYMENT BATCH OF THE YEAR.

HOWEVER,WE SHALL PROCEED TO ISSUE ALL PAYMENTS DETAILS TO THE SAID MRS. JANET WHITE, IF WE DO NOT HEAR FROM YOU WITHIN THE NEXT THREE WORKING DAYS FROM TODAY.

BEST REGARDS,
SANUSI LAMIDO
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT
(FOREIGN PAYMENT UNIT CBN

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