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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: "scharf W. charles" <steadmanchad6@gmail.com>
Reply-To: scharfc83@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 16 Jun 2022 04:19:37 -0700
Subject: Attention;

Attention

Board of Governors of the Wells Fargo Bank wishes to officially inform
you today that your outstanding Inheritance funds valued a total sum
of Thirty-Eight Million United States Dollars, (US$38,000,000.00)
which was officially handed over to the Wells Fargo Bank in your name
on Thursday the 25th of March 2021 has been legally approved and
Signed by the United States Department of State in the present of the
Wells Fargo Bank's attorney following the payment approvals signed by
the President Pro Tempore of the United States Senate "Mr. Chuck
Grassley".

Therefore, through the instructions from the above-mentioned
authorities, we have been authorized to transfer your 38,000,000.00
Dollars to your bank account.
Your US$38,000,000.00 transfer Permit letter has been forwarded to the
Vice President of the United States of America Mrs. Kamala Harris in
Washington DC for final endorsement and this is because to transfer
such huge amount of money we really have to notify every office that
is concerned just to avoid any problem when transferring the money
into your bank account and we have successfully obtained some of the
Fund Payment Approval Papers needed.

The remaining files needed for your fund's transmission from the Wells
Fargo Bank to your Bank account must be legally secured and mailed to
you for proofs and file keeping before we can proceed to the
remittance stage and we are sending our Delegates to proceed with
securing of the remaining needed documents in your name with immediate
effect.

Finally, you have been mandated to pay a total sum of Five Hundred and
Seventy-Six Dollar, Ninety Eight Cent (US$576.98) as the Mandatory
endorsement fee which includes, Local and Federal Taxes and Cost of
Transfer as requested by the Department of State in accordance with
the stipulations and foreign transfer act which was also approved by
the Vice President of the United States "Kamala Harris".

We are waiting for your immediate response with the payment
information to enable us to proceed with the transfer of your
(US$38,000,000.00) as we were directed by the mentioned authorities.

Note; The Five Hundred and Seventy-Six Dollar, Ninety Eight Cent
(US$576.98) cannot be deducted from the funds. So, please let me know
in a brief message
if you are not ready to pay the Mandatory endorsement fee.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,
Charles W. Scharf.

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