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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: "British Finance Monitoring Unit." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <contactinfocontact@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 23 Sep 2010 11:23:06 +0100
Subject: British Finance Monitoring Unit. 202.119.32.136


THE BRITISH FINANCE MONITORING UNIT
LONDON, ENGLAND.
TELEPHONE #:+44-7031936122



>From the Desk Of Mr. Peter Marriott.
Office Of The Director
British Finance Monitoring Unit.


Attn: Sir

Be inform that it has come to our notice that a huge sum of money has been credited in your name for transfer and is currently floating in the international banking community.

Under the stipulated Law of the Government of Great Britain and other member countries of the United Nations, any huge amount of money that has been found in the international computer data system waiting to be transferred without claims for a period of 6 months or less, shall be confiscated and forfeited to the United Nations account.

We do hereby ask you to contact this office immediately with your Full Names/Contact Address/Occupation/lnternational Passport or Driver's Lincense/Telephone and Fax Numbers for the release of your funds within the 3 days of this notice or consider your fund confiscated.

We appreciate your urgent co-operation.


Yours Faithully,


Mr. Peter Marriott.
The Director
British Finance Monitoring Unit.

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: THIS COMMUNICATION AND ITS ATTACHMENTS MAY CONTAIN NON-PUBLIC, CONFIDENTIAL OR LEGALLY PRIVILEGED INFORMATION. THE UNLAWFUL INTERCEPTION, USE OR DISCLOSURE OF SUCH INFORMATION IS PROHIBITED. IF YOU ARE NOT THE INTENDED RECIPIENT, OR HAVE RECEIVED THIS COMMUNICATION IN ERROR, PLEASE NOTIFY THE SENDER IMMEDIATELY BY REPLY EMAIL AND DELETE ALL COPIES OF THIS COMMUNICATION AND ATTACHMENTS WITHOUT READING OR SAVING THEM.

Anti-fraud resources: