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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: "RICHARD JOHN" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <richard86@mybestmail.com>
Date: Sun, 15 Apr 2012 14:15:37 +0100
Subject: IRREVOCABLE RELEASE OF YOUR PAYMENT

A.T.M PAYMENT UPDATE
Office of the Chief Auditor to the President,
International Credit Settlement
WORLD BANK COMPENSATION UNIT/UNITED NATION
   IRREVOCABLE RELEASE OF YOUR PAYMENT
 
Attention: Beneficiary,
 
This is to officially inform you that we have verified your contract /inheritance
File and found out that why you have not received your payment is because you have
Not fulfilled the obligations given to you in respect of your contract/inheritance
Payment.
 
Secondly we have been informed that you are still dealing with the none officials in
The bank. Your entire attempt to secure the release of the fund to you prove
Abortive. We wish to advise you that such an illegal act like this has to stop if
You wish to receive your payment since we have decided to bring a solution to your
Problem. Right now we have arranged your payment through our swift card payment
Center Asia pacific that is the latest instruction from the Mr. President, Dr. Good
Luck Ebele Jonathan (GCFR) Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Barrack Obama of
The United State of America and Queen of England.
 
And Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon this card center will send
you an ATM VISA CARD, which you will use to withdraw your  money in any ATM VISA
CARD machine in any part of the world, but the maximum is five thousand, united
States Dollars per day. So if you like to receive your fund forward without delay
Your contact information listed below,
 
1. Your full name.
2. Full address (p.o box not acceptable)
3. Phone and fax #
4. Your age, sex and current occupation
5. Attach copy of your identification
 
Contact the paying Office through their information below,
 
Hon. Mr.Richard John & Tim J.W. Tookey
Director, Atm payment Department,
UNITED NATION
Email:richard86@mybestmail.com
 
The ATM card payment center has been mandated to issue out $6,500,000.000 (SIX
MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS) as part payment for the new year 2012.
Also for your information, you have to stop any further communication with any other
Person or office(s) to avoid any hitches in receiving your payment.
 
Good luck and kind regards,
Ban Ki-moon
The Eighth and Current
Secretary-General of the United Nations
Making the world a better place
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Secretary-General

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