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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: "Mike McLenigan." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mikemclenigan368@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 29 Feb 2020 06:37:39 -0800
Subject: We need to know if you are aware.

Compliments of the day,
 
I am Mike McLenigan, the Vice President of Professional Financial Solutions LLC, a Public and Private Financial Consultants specialists. We handle financial consultancy for government, financial institutions, companies and high net individuals. As one of the financial consultants to the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Texas, we were informed of some funds belonging to beneficiaries being holdup in suspense accounts with the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. These funds are as a result of inheritance/lottery/contract sum owned to beneficiaries all over the world but have not been able to be released to them due to bottlenecks caused by the remitting officers from the foreign country where the transactions originated from.  Professional Financial Solutions LLC has been consulted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Board of Directors in conjunction with the United States Government to resolve with immediate effect all payments to beneficiaries whose fund are with Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.
 
 
You are to cease any further communication with any of the previous shady elements that may have been communicating with you in the past attempting to frustrate you from claiming your funds. Our wide experiences in these matters as they apply to International Transfer Policies in this part of the world will enable me ensure that your outstanding fund payment is resolved with immediate effect. Finally, you are to understand that you are not the only beneficiaries being paid this way as others have been receiving their funds hence we will not compel you against your wish to do the needful and have your fund released to you. You can reach me through my private email address {mikemclenigan368@gmail.com}, thanks for your anticipated response.
 
 
 
Yours Sincerely,
 
Mike McLenigan.
Vice President
Professional Financial Solutions LLC.

Anti-fraud resources: