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: "DR SMITH WILLDON" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <drswilldon@usa.com>
Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2014 08:21:47 +0100
Subject: ATTN: RE-CHANGE OF ACCOUNT

ATTN: RE-CHANGE OF ACCOUNT
THIS IS IN OUTSTANDING PAYMENT TO Regard, I AM DR S WILLDON; THE NEWLY appointed DIRECTOR OF THE UNITED NATIONS; LEGAL AFFAIRS, SECURITY AND INVESTIGATION, THE SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON AND HIS DECISION MAKING BODY, HAS DIRECTED ME TO YOUR FUND AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE APPROVE ALL OUTSTANDING Investigate FOREIGN OWNED BY THE GOVERNMENT IN AFRICA TO debts beneficiaries AND UK IN THIS QUARTER OF THIS YEAR 3 fiscal 2014.
THIS DECISION WAS TAKEN AND BASED ON THE BANKS OF anomalies inability IN NIGERIA / LONDON TO RELEASE YOUR FUND INTO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT; Discovered WHEREBY THAT IT WAS SOME DIRECTORS IN FOREIGN BANKS WERE THESE PAYMENT TO ANOTHER ACCOUNT OF THEIR CHOICE OVERSEAS diverting beneficiaries. IN VIEW OF THIS, DURING OUR INVESTIGATION I FOUND OUT THAT; Submitted divert WAS AN ACCOUNT TO FUND YOUR ACCOUNT TO A GERMANY. Submitted BELOW IS THE ACCOUNT AND I WANT YOU TO CONFIRM IF YOU ARE AWARE OF THE NEW DEVELOPMENT ABOUT BECAUSE WE ARE effecting PAYMENT TO THE ACCOUNT TODAY BELLOW stated.
Beneficiary: WENGER CERSTIN Shenouda.
BANK: BANK Frankfurter
A / C NO.: 367840545
SWIFT CODE: 50050201
FINALLY, BE INFORMED THAT A PAYMENT HAS BEEN ISSUED AND INSTRUCTION TO THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE IN FAVOR OF THE ABOVE Forwarded MONITORY TO FUND YOUR ACCOUNT WITHOUT ANY FURTHER Prejudice. BUT THERE IS NO WAY WE CAN APPROVE OF THE FUND TO YOUR ACCOUNT WITHOUT YOU IF YOU HAVE CHANGED YOUR ACCOUNT FOR YOUR FUND TO BE TRANSFER TO THE Confirming Beneficiary: WENGER CERSTIN Shenouda BANK ACCOUNT IN GERMANY.
CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY FOR FURTHER clarification TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE GIVING INSTRUCTION TO TRANSFER YOUR FUND TO THE ABOVE YOU FAIL TO CONTACT THIS OFFICE ON OR BEFORE 78 HRS TODAY.IF ACCOUNT FROM NOW WE WILL THEN NOW THE WIRE TO THE GERMAN FUND ACCOUNT. THANKS FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION.
WAITING FOR YOUR URGENT RESPONSE
YOURS faithfully
DR. S WILLDON
UN OFFICE OF LEGAL AFFAIRS
SECURITY AND INVESTIGATION
 

Anti-fraud resources: