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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: "jack micheal" <jack_micheal009@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: legal_departmentt@myway.com
Date: Mon, 30 Jan 2006 09:57:17 -0700
Subject: Eruption of the Hurricane Katrina.

Hi,

Jack Micheal from the States.A great deal is recently detected in our bank
unknown to the superiors.The tone of the funds is US$23.8M deposited by late
customer who died in fatal HURRICANE KATRINA disaster that erupted New
Orleans.We have bravely packaged the funds as a cargo and lodge in a cargo
company in Europe for safety,desperately waiting for a reliable person to
take possession of it.You are hereby expected to help us claim the cargoes
from the company as our representative for easy and smooth claims without
any problem.We will need you to furnish us with your full name,your home or
company address and your mobile telephone number to enable us forward them
to the cargo company for legitimate release of the funds in your favour.

Bye and hurry up.

Jack Micheal


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