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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.Charles Scott" <freedomdike12@gmail.com>
Reply-To: scotcharles0120@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2022 02:47:08 -0800
Subject: Attention: Dear.

Dear
After a serious thought and out of sympathy, I decided to reach you
directly and personally. There is one barrister Allen Smith from New
York USA who visited our head office this week with DEED of Agreement
stating that you are no longer interested in your unclaimed funds
[payment] and you authorized the lawyer to claim the funds as your
heir and submit some necessary details needed to ensure the claim goes
out smoothly in his favor.

We were meant to understand from our findings that your payment is
being unnecessarily delayed by Payoneers. We certainly do apologize
for any inconvenience that this may have caused. Based on the record
in our computer database, after we have verified your payment file
your outstanding payment including accrued interest payable, is
$4,500,000 [Four million Five hundred thousand US dollars] only.

In view of this development, you are required to respond to this
message and confirm if you really authorized barrister Allen Smith to
claim the funds. I must confess to you that your payment has been
processed and the fund is ready for disbursement. You are given 4days
to respond or the payment will be directed to his account as it was
provided.

sincerely,
CHARLES SCOTT
Finance Department Director
International Monetary Fund (IMF)

Anti-fraud resources: