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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "BCEAO BENIN-COTONOU" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <f.federalministryoffinance@ymail.com>
Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2013 15:06:15 -0800
Subject: BCEAO BENIN-COTONOU

BCEAO BENIN-COTONOU FOREIGN PAYMENT RECONCILIATION
ADDRESS;45 CRUE PAUL CRESENT COTONOU DU BENIN REPBLIQUE
Telephone; +229-98244766 Fax-+229 21386449
E-mail  settlmentfile@live.com
REF; 56/RB/MF/000/2013
 
Attn: Beneficiary
 
We wish to notify to you that your unpaid US$1.5Million dollar that recovered by Ministry of Finance Benin republic has been approved to package and submit to the diplomat officer MR TOMI WILLIAMS for safely delivery in cash to you in your country, and he will be leaving this country to your country upon the confirmation of your direct telephone and address where he can locate you upon his arrival in your country.
In our accordance with the diplomat, he will be leaving to in your country for delivery of the fund by cash to you after 24hour of receiving your full data stated above.
 
All the necessary solid arrangement has been executed by the help of (FMF) to avoid advance fee here before his departure, and we are glad that everything concerning the delivery of the fund in cash at your destination where you will meet the diplomat office and sign some document before handing over the consignment to you has perfectly put in good place here.
But be mindful that the diplomat does not know the actual content of the trunk box as your funds US$1.5m, because it was declared to him as Family Treasure. He was only employed to deliver to you as a contract.
Congratulation
Yours Service,  
Mrs. Glory Anthony
Foreign Operation Payment Reconciliation Department
BCEAO BENIN-COTONOU

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