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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Ms. Cynthia Frank" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <transferunionunit2@w.cn>
Date: Thu, 20 May 2010 00:02:01 +0100
Subject: URGENT RESPONSE IS NEEDED

I am the General manager of western union transfer unit. This note was taken in my office where I was serving verification documents to the White men Mr Evra Terry and Mr John Eze who stormed my office in company of Mrs. Beson Ututumma (on white African attire). The black woman claimed to be your representative because of their inability to have paid your fund to you at the agreed time.

They said that you were dead and before your death, you appointed them as the next of kin to your contract fund presently under our custody these two white men and the black gentlelady quickly applied that your Inherited fund should be presented to them at the spot. The Official responsible for the presentation of fund quickly granted approvals to their application and packaged the fund total sum of Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollars ($500,000.00) for them to go with it.

I urgently summoned The Official responsible for the presentation of the fund and directed him to stop the movement of the funds and at the same time placed a stop order instruction on the funds pending when your views and comments are received with regards to this matter. Please respond to the western union trasfer unit urgently for your comments which will be highly appreciated, but we will not hesitate to continue the payment transmission to them if no response comes from you.

Contact Mr James Mark at western union transfer unit on this Email: transferunionunit1@w.cn
immediately to stop the payement to them as your silence will be a clear indication that you authorized them to effect the above changes and you are also dead. Write ( transferunionunit1@w.cn ) to let him know that you are still alife.

Regards.
Ms. Cynthia Frank

Anti-fraud resources: