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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: "STANLEY JOEL" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <stanleyjoe@yandex.com>
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 2015 18:21:03 -0500
Subject: TOP SECRET

Dear Friend,

I am a junior staff at the UN liaison office here in Spain in conjunction with World Bank to foreseeing all transaction from all European Regions. I bring to your immediate notice and urgent attention that the present UN (United Nations) and the EU (European Union) have finally approved your payment.

A woman by name Mrs. Janet White came to our office with an application letter stating that you are DEAD and that you have
instructed her to be the beneficiary also that you told her to act as your Next of Kin to receive your payment in her account. We are writing to know if this is true, if you at any time gave this woman the power of attorney to represent you also if you are aware that your payment of $10.5M will be transferred to the below account:

Bank of America,
2201 C St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20520
ABA Number: 114000653;
Account Number: 4746363838;
Account Name: JANET WHITE
Account officer's Phone number: 202-624-4750

If you are not aware of the above, do immediately reconfirm your correct banking details so that funds can be transferred to your account without any further delay as we have instructed our Spain paying bank to effect transfer to the above account if we do not hear from you till the next one week banking days from the day this message was sent.

I wish to inform you that this approved amount has been processed and will be released to you as soon as you respond to this letter. Also note that from the record in my file, the approved amount for immediate transfer is $10.5 million dollars (Ten Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars). With due respect sir, do reconfirm the below details to avoid paying your Contract/Inheritance payment to a wrong account or beneficiary.

Note that this payment is ready to be made into your account as soon as you confirm to us that you did not send this woman and reconfirm the below details.

1) Your full name and full address (2) Phone, fax and mobile (3) Bank Name and address (4) Bank account number, Swift code etc where funds will be transferred to.

As soon as this information is received, your payment will be made in cash payment or KTT wire transferred to your bank account directly from Spanish Paying Bank and a copy of payment slips sent to you for immediate confirmation through your bank.

Do help us serve you better by responding to this message immediately.

Regards,
Stanley Joel

Anti-fraud resources: