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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: "Financial Action Task Force" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <action_group2015@foxmail.com>
Date: Sun, 26 Apr 2015 01:26:39 -0700
Subject: Re: Important information.

(GIABA) Financial Action Task Force
ECOWAS Liasion Building, 6 King George
V Road, Onikan, P.O.Box 12745, Lagos
Date: 24th April 2015
 
Re: Urgent Notification of Payment.
 
Dear Beneficiary,
I am Mr. Adama Coulibaly executive director of Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering, Internet Scams and other Financial related crimes in West Africa. We are in a Joint Operation Services with the Central Banks of Signatory States, regional Securities and Exchange Commissions, UEMOA, Banque Ouest Africaine pour le Développement (BOAD), the French Zone Anti-Money Laundering Liaison Committee, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the FATF, Interpol and the European Union e.t.c. to bring prompt eradication of on-going internet scam and Bank frauds in the West African region with the assistance of United States Government.
 
I know you may find it difficult to believed this letter based on the ill miscreant experience you may have encountered in the past years, coupled with incessant dissemination of fraudulent e-mail messages by some internet fraudsters. You can read my profile by clicking on this link: http://web.giaba.org/meet-executive-director/home.html
 
However, It was based on my accountability, capability and transparency that I was urged to use my elevated position to look into financial transaction records of Banks, Securities companies and Financial houses in west African countries based on the bilateral agreement reached with the (IMF), World Bank and African Union.
During my routine investigation and verification exercise, I discovered lots of un-paid debts from various Banks and Securities companies, worth over (US$500 Million dollars) floating with some Banks here, and on my further verification I observed that you were to be paid for an inheritance contract payment, which some avaricious and greedy directors working in our Bank and Government offices used their privileged position to demand  un-necessary fees for their selfish..
I want to reveal to you that the main reason you never received your approved payment all these while was from your Partner and the Lawyer who represented you here. To cut the story short,  I discovered that your Partner and the Lawyer intentionally wished to frustrate you to abandon your payment half-way to enable them achieve their dubious aim to divert your inheritance fund to another bank account for their selfish interest.
 
Therefore, I am glad to inform you that we have approved for you a Part-payment sum of: ($6,200 000.00) Six million, Two hundred thousand dollars from your inheritance debt owing to you over the years by our past government.
 
Considering the circumstances at hand, you are advised not to accept any e-mail letter, fax or telephone calls that does not come from my Office. The consequences of not heeding to this warning or advice would be yours.
 
Please call me direct on +234-909-8165717, Or reply me immediately after your perusals of this letter to enable me process the transfer of your payment fund to any of your nominated receiving Bank account via our accredited paying Bank.
 
Cordial,
 
Mr. Adama Coulibaly

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