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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: "Mr. Steve Mark" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <office.mrstevemark@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 2 Nov 2016 11:18:04 +0330
Subject: YOUR ATM CARD HAS BEEN APPROVED ======

Attention:
 
Dear Beneficiary,
 
This is to officially inform you that we have verified your contract inheritance file presently on my desk, and I found out that you have not received your payment due to your lack of co-operation and not fulfilling the obligations giving to you in respect to your inheritance payment, and more importantly, the dishonest of the officials you have dealt with, coming up with lies and cheats, we received the report of all you have gone through in the process of receiving your fund, From some of the Banks both international and local, this cases was presented in the just ended International Financial Seminar, and we have been made to release your fund through this process of ATM Card.
 
Secondly, you are hereby advice to stop dealing with some non-officials that claims to be in the bank as this is an illegal act and will have to stop if you so wish to receive your payment immediately. After the board meeting held at our headquarters, we have resolved in finding a solution to your problem, and as you may know, we have arranged your payment through our SWIFT CARD PAYMENT CENTRE in Europe, America and Asia Pacific, which is then instruction given by the Chairman of the world Bank.
 
This card centre will send you an ATM CARD which you will use to withdraw your money in an ATM MACHINE in any part of the world, and the maximum daily limit is Ten Thousand United States Dollars($10,000.00) valued sum at Five Million United States Dollars {$5,000,000.00}.
 
If you desire to receive your funds this way, Kindly provide the below information's :
 
(1) Your Full Name :
(2) Your Address where you want the payment centre to send your ATM CARD.:
(3) Phone And Fax Number :
(4) Age and Occupation :
 
We shall be expecting to receive your information, and you have to stop any further communication with anybody or office. On this regards, do not hesitate to contact us for more details and direction for the release of your card at your doorstep within the next 72hrs.
Thanks for your co-operation.
 
You will find below my personal email address and contact telephone number.
 
Name: Mr.Steve Mark.
Email: (office.mrstevemark@gmail.com)
Tel: +234-816-297-2481
 
We shall be expecting to receive your information's as you have to stop any further communication with anybody or officer.
 
Thanks for your co-operation.
 
BEST REGARDS,
Mr.  Steve Mark

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