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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: Melvin Benedicto <mb3329098@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 9 Feb 2022 20:13:31 -0800
Subject: CONSIGNMENT

ATTN: BENEFICIARY,

I, REV SCHEDRACK JOHNSON, THE GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR/CHIEF EXECUTIVE
OFFICER, ECO BANK PLC THE ONLY BANK APPOINTED BY THE O.A.U MEMBERS LED
BY PRIME MINISTER HAILEMARIAM DESALEGN.(INCUMBENT).BECAUSE OF THE
FRAUD GOING ON IN WEST AFRICA COUNTRIES WHERE SOME INNOCENT
BENEFICIARIES WERE ASK TO PAY IN ADVANCE BEFORE RECEIVING THE MONEY
OWED TO THEM. THE ABOVE AFRICAN UNION HELD MEETING IN BENIN REPUBLIC
AND RESOLVE TO PAY ALL BENEFICIARIES IN CASH THROUGH DIPLOMATIC
COURIER SERVICE.WE RECEIVE YOUR FILES FROM INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND
(I.M.F) AS ONE OF THE BENEFICIARIES.

TAKE NOTE; TEN THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS (US$10,000) HAVE BEEN
MAPPED OUT FOR ALL EXPENSES IN SENDING THE MONEY TO YOU THROUGH
GENUINE DIPLOMATIC COURIER SERVICE AND YOU WILL RECEIVE THE STATEMENT
OF HOW IT WAS SPENT . THEREFORE, I WANT YOU TO BEAR IT IN MIND THAT
YOUR TOTAL FUND WILL NO LONGER BE ONE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND
UNITED STATE DOLLARS ($1,500,000.00) BUT ONE MILLION FOUR HUNDRED AND
NINETY THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS ($1,490,000.00).

IF ANY BODY TELLS YOU THAT HE IS PAYING YOU IN BANK DRAFT OR
TELE-GRAFIC MONEY TRANSFER OR WESTERN UNION/MONEY GRAM, DO NOT LISTEN
TO HIM OR HER BECAUSE DUE TO THIS FRAUD NO INTERNATIONAL BANK HONOURS
OUR REMITTANCE INSTRUCTION ANY MORE. THAT IS WHY WE SETTLED TO PAY IN
CASH THROUGH COURIER.

WE ALSO RECEIVED A SECURITY REPORT THAT YOU PAID THE FRAUDSTERS WHO
HAVE BEEN DECEIVING YOU, TELLING YOU THAT THEY ARE GOING TO SEND THIS
MONEY TO YOU...DEAR, AS A SENIOR BANKER, CONTROLLING THIS CASH PAYMENT
NOW, I ADVISE YOU NOT TO WASTE YOUR MONEY BY PAYING ANY BODY IN
ADVANCE AGAIN, AND IF YOU JUST FOLLOW MY INSTRUCTION, YOU WILL RECEIVE
YOUR MONEY IN THREE DAYS TIME.
YOUR FUND WILL NOW BE PACKAGED IN A BOX AND TAKE TO THE DIPLOMATIC
COURIER SERVICE FOR IMMEDIATE SHIPMENT, BUT THE KEY TO THE BOX WILL BE
SENT TO YOU SEPARATELY BY (DHL COURIER COMPANY) TO AVOID THE COURIER
SERVICE STAFF INTERCEPT WITH THE CONTENT.

I WILL ALSO SEND THE PICTURE OF THE BOX BY ATTACHMENT TO YOU TO SEE
HOW THE MONEY IS PACKED.

THEREFORE, DO FORWARD YOUR HOME ADDRESS AND DIRECT PHONE NUMBER TO ME
FOR QUICK DELIVERY BECAUSE TIME IS NOT IN OUR SIDE. ALL THE DOCUMENTS
WILL BE SENT TO YOU IF I AM ASSURED THAT YOU HAVE STOPPED SENDING
MONEY TO THOSE FRAUDSTER. BUT GOD WILL SURELY JUDGE ALL OF THEM WHO
LIVES BY CHEATING. MY BIBLE SAYS, "WHAT SHALL IT PROFIT A MAN IF YOU
GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD BUT LOOSE YOUR SOUL".

I AM WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU WITH THE REQUIRED INFORMATION OF YOURS.

REV SCHEDRACK JOHNSON,GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR

ECO BANK PLC

EMAIL: ecobank.foreignaffairs360@gmail.com

website: http://www.ecobank.com

Anti-fraud resources: