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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: "GEN.F. EDWARD DUA" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <f_w_edward@w.cn>
Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2011 07:35:05 -0700
Subject: REPLY FOR IMMEDIATE PAYMENT OF YOUR FUNDS

UNITED NATION REMITTANCE OFFICE
DIRECTOR DEBT RECONCILIATION COMMITTEE
BENIN REPLC
ATTN CONTRACT BENEFICIARY,
IMMEDIATE PAYMENT OF YOUR FUNDS.#:
GHRCBN/NNPC/FGN/MIN/010.
 
Attention:
 
The United Nations Debt reconciliation Committee BENIN REPLC hereby bringing to your immediate notice and urgent attention that United Nations in collaboration with Delivery department and the African Union have finally approved your overdue contract/inheritance payment.
 
A woman by name Mrs. Janet Woody sent to our office an application letter stating that you are dead and that you have instructed her to be the beneficiary also that you told her to act as your Next of Kin to receive your payment in her address.
We are writing to know if this is true, if you at any time gave this woman the power of attorney to represent you also if you are aware your payment of $3.5M will be delivered to
 
The below Address:
1155 Duke Street,
Alexandria, Virginia (VA),
25312, USA
If you are not aware of the above information, do immediately re-confirm your correct address details so that funds can be delivered to your provided address with no further delay as we have instructed our remittance office to process payment to the above address information, if we do not hear from you within 4 working days from the date this message was sent.
We wish to inform you that this approved amount has been processed and will be released to you as soon as you respond to this letter. Also note that from the record in our file, the approved estimated amount of $3.5 million dollars two Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) will be delivered to your address by a UN diplomatic delivery service.
 
Be advice accordingly,
reply us through this email below
f_w_edward@w.cn
GEN.F. EDWARD DUA,
 
DIRECTOR DEBT
RECONCILIATION COMMITTEE.
UNITED NATIONS (BENIN),

Anti-fraud resources: