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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: "United Nation" (may be fake)
Date: Mon, 1 Aug 2011 16:08:43 +0100
Subject: Compensation..fund

UNITED NATIONS/ WORLD BANK COMPENSATION UNIT


Dear Beneficiary,


We write to informed you that we have been authorized by the International Community in conjunction with the World bank to investigate the list of scammed victims who as one way or the other lost their valuables-Money,Assets, etc to perpetrator.

We have been having a meeting for the passed 7 months which ended 2 days ago with the then secretary to the UNITED NATIONS. This email is to all the people that have been scammed in any part of the world, the UNITED NATIONS have agreed to compensate them with the sum of US$ 3.5 million

This includes every foreign contractors that may have not received their contract sum, and people that have had an unfinished transaction or international businesses that failed due to Government problems etc.

We found your name/email in our list and that is why we are contacting you, this have been agreed upon and have been signed.

You are advised to contact Mr. Jim Ovia of our paying center in Africa, as he is our representative in Africa, contact him immediately for your Cheque/ International Bank Draft of USD$3.5 million . This funds are in a Bank Draft for security purpose ok? so he will send it to you and you can clear it in any bank of your choice.

Therefore, you should send him your full Name, telephone number, your correct mailing address where you want him to send the Draft to you and also little courier fees only.

Person to Contact: Mr. Jim Ovia

Email:mrjim.ovia_un@one.co.il

Phone: +234-704-2176-066

Thanks and God bless you and your family. Hoping to hear from you as soon as you cash your Bank Draft. Making the world a better place.

Regards.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon.

http://www.un.org/sg/

Anti-fraud resources: