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joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "million us dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: okechukwu emefile <okechukwuemefiele@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Aug 2022 18:25:49 -0700
Subject: UPDATE TRANSACTION
Based on the meeting we have with the central bank of Nigeria and IMF
officials on your payment, I am writing to inform you that your files
appeared on our desk to pay you a partial payment of $10.5million US
Dollars of your funds for this First quarter of the year. But we are having
a misunderstanding because one Ms.Carman Lapointe called yesterday that she
is your new next of kin and that you instructed her to receive the funds in
your favor. you are totally sick and you can not work or answer any calls.
But we were very confused. That is why the authority instructed me to
contact you for us to know if she is telling us the truth or not.
Here are the account details she forwarded to us.
Bank Name: Credit Union Na
Account Name: Carman Lapointe
Account number: 908374912
Swift code: cwd1u
After he provided this account to us, he instructed us not to inform you
and we should transfer the funds into his account directly because she is
your next of kin. Kindly check this account and name if we can go ahead and
transfer the funds into his account.We wait to hear from
you soon.
Thanks,
Mr Godwin Emefiele.
Central bank of Nigeria.
UPDATE TRANSACTION
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Anti-fraud resources:
