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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: "From Miss,Caroline Owen" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <miss.carolineowe1001@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 3 Mar 2014 11:24:05 +0100
Subject: From Miss,Caroline Owen11.

Good News to you,
 
 
I am Miss,Caroline Owen,A computer scientist with central bank of
Nigeria. I am 28 years old,working with C.B.N. (Central Bank) I came
across your file which was marked X and your released disk painted
RED, I took time to study it and found out that you have paid
VIRTUALLY all fees and certificate but the fund has not been release
to you The most annoying thing is that nobody is telling you the truth
that on no account will they ever release the fund to you.
Instead,they let you spend money unnecessarily.
 
I do not intend to work for this end of year 2014 but I can release
this fund to you if you can certify me of my security, and how I can
run away from this Nigeria if I do this, because if I don't run away
from this country after I made your transfer,I will be Seriously in
trouble and my life will be in danger here,also have this in brain
that you are going to take 70% of total fund and 30% to me after you
have proved the fund in your account.
 
Please this is like a Mafia setting in Nigeria; you may not understand
it because you are not a Nigerian.
 
The only thing I will need to release this fund is a special HARD DISK
we call it HD120 GIG YOU WILL BUY ME THE TWO OF THE DISK FOR THE
TRANSFER,and i will recopy your information,destroy the previous
one,and punch the computer to reflect in your bank within 24 banking
hours I will clean up the tracer and destroy your file,after which I
will run away from Nigeria to meet with you there.
 
If you are interested to buy the HARD DISK for me there or here for
the transfer,do get in touch with me immediately and send to me your
full Name,your address,your convenient phone numbers for easy
communications. For phone conversation, please call me on Tel:
+234-8157513275 and write me back immediately you receive this message
if you are interested to Buy the HD120 GIG for the release of your
overdue fund contract payment.
Regards,
 
Miss,Caroline Owen

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