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: Western Union <annual.straw@laposte.net>
Date: Mon, 2 Dec 2013 23:38:07 +0000
Subject: CONGRATULATION:YOU ARE SELECTED.

Attn: Client,



We here-by notify you that the sum of $ 1,500,000.00 US dollars was
generated and awarded to you by the money transfer service companies
in corroboration with the European Union, Afri-Pam and the Arab League
financial exchange as one of the customers who uses Western
Union,paypal,money Gram or other alternative transfers in their
business transaction.



This award was selected through the financial exchange collector
database straw drill (FOD).Your email address, sender and receiver's
names was indicated and notified. The organisation collects email
address of people active online in social networks, among the millions
of people who use Western Union, PayPal and Money Gram and other money
transfer options in various business transactions. People are selected
yearly according to the annual profits records of the money transfer
service companies to benefit from this promotion and you are one of
the Selected Winners.



The award was designed to encourage small business owners, typically
less affluent people, to secure and restore consumer sovereignty,
allowing people to spend money on what they choose. It also helps in
bridging the gap between the poor and the rich which is in increase
day by day. The award is organised in different countries annually for
the purpose of fairness and equality.And this year winner selection
was done in Burkina Faso west Africa.



Therefore, provide bellow the necessary information required for
processing the payment awarded to you by the commission.

Your Full name:
Home Address:
City:
Country:
Phone number:
Occupation:
Age:


Finally, it is expected the winner gets to choose between an annuity
payment and a one-time payment of the total amount awarded. Indicate
the means of receiving the award.The award commission will provide
your information to the western union office in Burkina Faso for the
first payment per a maximum amount payable in your country by the
western union.This is an agreement reached to help the winner to open
a bank account that can contain the balance.




NOTE:It is not western union that awarded the prize.You are only being
contacted by the western union in Burkina Faso as one of the money
transfer companies approved to make the transfer to the beneficiary of
the prize.


Yours Faithfully,

Zammani Uria.

Award Coordinator.

Anti-fraud resources: