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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: "Shawn Henry FBI Washington D.C" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <henryshawn0@mail.mn>
Date: Wed, 23 Mar 2011 12:36:18 -0700
Subject: FBI OFFICIAL INSTRUCTION.

ANTI-TERRORIST AND MONETARY CRIMES DIVISION
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
DATE: 03/23/2011
 
ATTENTION,
 
   This is to officially advise you to go ahead and Contact Miss Katherine A. Luby and send her US$450.00 for legal
 
clearance document, we sent a fax message to her to process the document as soon as you provide him with USD450.00
 
-----------------------------------------
 
   Contact her immediately with the information's bellow to clear TRANSFER SEAL(TS) AND AUTHORIZATION CODE:
 
RECEIVER NAME: KATHERINE A. LUBY
ADDRESS: MIDVALE UTAH U.S.A
AMOUNT:  USD450 ONLY
E-mail: fcmbank.utah@skymail.mn
 
------------------------------------------
    It is urgent you clear the required document within the given date.  Valid until 22nd of March 2011 after we
 
shall take actions in canceling the payment and then charge you for illegally moving funds out of nigeria.
 
Guarantee: funds will be released on confirmation of the document.
 
   This has to be cleared for immediate release of your fund. NOTE: We have asked for the above documents to make
 
available the most complete and up-to date records possible for no criminal justice purposes.
 
 
    WARNING: failure to produce the above requirement within the given time, legal action will be taken immediately
 
by arresting and detaining you, justificated and if found guilty, you will be jailed. As terrorism, drug trafficking
 
and money laundering is a serious problem in our community today. The F.B.I will not stop at any length in tracking
 
down and prosecuting any criminal who indulge in this criminal act. FORWARD THE DOCUMENT TO US VIA EMAIL ATTACHEMENT
 
AS SOON AS YOU OBTAIN IT.
In God We Trust,
 
Faithfully Yours
Shawn Henry
Federal Bureau of Investigation
 

Anti-fraud resources: