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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: Catherine Ladan <rrichsiemens@gmail.com>
Reply-To: cladan355@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 4 Oct 2021 09:50:43 +0100
Subject: Important information

Attention

Hurry now and claim your funds from the Central Bank or your funds will be
confiscated by the wicked officials of the bank, My name is Miss Catherine
Ladan, I am 27 years old, just started working with Central Bank of Togo
here in Lome, I came across your file marked X and your released disk
painted RED, I took time to study it and tried to find out why your funds
have not been released to you.

Those evil officials can never tell you the reason that they have not
released the funds to you, instead they allow you to spend your money
unnecessarily. I do not intend to work here forever; I can help you claim
your funds if you can certify me of my security and assure me that you
would settle with me after you have received your payment.

I must do this because you need to know the status of your funds and cause
for the delay. This is like a Mafia setting and you may not understand
because you are far away. The only document you need to release this fund
to you is the Original Certificate of non-residual which will be tendered
to any of your Internal Revenue Service IRS for clearance of the
transferred amount in your account. Once the non-residual Certificate is
presented your funds will be immediately released and subsequently
reflected in your bank account within 24 hours.

The only authorized and sincere person who will issue you the Original
Documents is Mrs. Maudu Dada. I will give you her contact as soon as I get
a response to this email from you, while writing or communicating with her,
you must indicate to her that your file has been marked with the letter X
and tell her it's painted with color Red so she will be able to recognize
your file.

Do get back to me ASAP if you are still interested in claiming your funds,
you will be guided on the process

Yours Sincerely,
Miss, Catherine Ladan.

Anti-fraud resources: