joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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: "United Nations" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ms.carman103@qatar.io>
Date: Sat, 19 May 2012 16:57:38 +0100
Subject: Dear Unpaid Beneficiary

Ms. Carman L. Lapointe.
United Nations Under-Secretary
General for Internal Oversight
 
Dear Unpaid Beneficiary ,
 
 
This is a message from the UN in association with federal bodies and all commercials banks in the world about a lasting solution on beneficiaries who have not received there winning/Inheritance Fund either from banks or the governments, after series of complains from the FBI and other Security agencies from Asia, Europe, Oceania, Antarctica, South America and the United States of America respectively, against the Federal Government of Nigeria and the British Government for the rate of scam activities going on in these two nations.
 
Sincerely, you are a lucky person because we have just discovered that some top Nigerian and British Government Officials are interested in your fund and they are working seriously to frustrate you and divert your fund into their personal account, but we have brought a solution to this problem which you are been faced, by normalizing in your favor a part payment in total of $3.5million USD. This fund will be send to you via ATM visa card, so all you have to do is to call and email the CEO of the Zenith Bank (Mr. Godwin Emefiele) you should send him your full Name and telephone number/your correct mailing address where you want him to send the ATM visa card to you. Contact Mr. Godwin Emefiele immediately for your ATM visa card with the following information.
 
1. Full name
2. Phone and Fax number
3. Address were you want them to send the ATM Card.
4. Your age and current occupation
5. Attach copy of your identification:
 
Person to Contact: Mr. Godwin Emefiele
Office Email: mrgodwinemefiele@qatar.io
 
 
We sincerely apologize on behalf of good people of Nigeria for the plight you have gone through in the past years in receiving your inheritance money. Thanks for adhering to this instruction and once again accept our congratulations.
Sincerely yours,
 
Ms. Carman L. Lapointe.       
United Nations Under-Secretary
General for Internal Oversight.

Anti-fraud resources: