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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: "Ecowas Clearing house" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <EcowasClearingHouse@ecowas.ws>
Date: Sat, 4 Jan 2014 12:19:10 -0600
Subject: STATUTORY ANOMALIES ON YOU RECEIVING YOUR CONSIGNMENT INHERITANCE

Hello!!!
Firstly, I wish to introduce myself as a sympathizer of your situation. I am the Comptroller of the package Movement Terminal and Director of national warehouse where abandoned consignment/valuables are dumped as unclaimed items.
This is to inform you that fresh arrangement was made by me to conclude the shipment of your consignment to your country. I choose to do it and make sure it everything is arranged before contacting you. I found out that this consignment parcel has been lying here because of lack of contact and none payment of delivery and clearance cost.
This is why I decided to use my connections as the Delivery/Shipment officer in charge of the National Security warehouse. (This is where all the abandoned consignments are kept at the orders of the ECOWAS for seizure and auctioning.
Therefore, this letter is highly confidential and top secret. For this reason, you must not inform anybody about this letter or my contact with you. You must keep my relationship with you to be topped secret and highly confidential because as I have arranged your consignment to be shipped and ecorted for delivery  by a reliable delivery agent to be delivered to you, so no one must know so that it will not raise an eye brow, and risking my Job and position in this organization.
CONDITIONS OF THIS DELIVERY
1. You must keep my relationship with you highly secret/confidential.
2. You must not expose all the above information to anybody.
3. You must be willing to act fast on any information, directives and
advice from me and the Diplomatic delivery agent.
Note: I am aware that the content of the Box is valued to the total sum of £8.500.000.00(Eight Million Five Hundred Thousand Pounds Sterling) because I could see the amount you are being owed by the Ecowas Government on inheritance or unclaimed funds. This is why I decided to get involved. You must also know that this arrangement do not concern all the people that you have had dealings or contact with in the past in Africa as this consignment has been surrendered to the ECOWAS Government, Hence my involvement.
As soon as I receive your response, I will give you more details on the mode of delivery and I will also give you the full contact information of the delivery agent as soon as you have contacted me.
Therefore, further details will be furnished to you as soon as I receive you reply.
 
On reply you should include your current (address Location Full Name and direct Phone Number) for easy communication.
 
Yours Sincerely
 
Melvin Bye
Regional Comptroller
Movement Terminal and Director
Ecowas Clearing warehouse
London United Kingdom
Phone/fax: +44-704-57-85050

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