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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: "U.S TREASURY OFFICE" <us.treasuryoffice@yahoo.pt>
Reply-To: "U.S TREASURY OFFICE" <u.streasuryoffice.mail@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2014 03:38:26 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: U.S Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control


 U.S Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control
(OFAC) U.S Treasury Department's
Department of the Treasury
1500 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20220
 
General Information: (203) 622-2000
Fax: (202) 722-6415
Hours: Mon-Fri 8:00am - 5:00pm
 
Attn: 
 
This is to inform you that you have been awarded a compensation/grant total sum of US$4.5Million Dollars only as funds beneficiary from the U.S Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control. To claim your funds. You are hereby required to send your full detail's such as full name, full address, your bank account details, telephone number, your occupation and also with attached copy of your passport or driven lenience for official verification and processing of your payment transfer as we have scheduled a time frame to settle all foreign debts which includes  Inheritance/ Lottery(Sponsored by Microsoft and National Lottery) and other international loans. In consideration of the above, you are hereby advice to submit your info urgently as all the necessary clearance has been made from the Federal Reserve Bank of America to release and transfer the sum of US$4.5Million Dollars to you as the beneficiary with immediate effect.
 
Please for the collection of your Fund, you will be required to get the sum of $120 for Ownership Documentation, also know that the sum been required from you, will be added to your fund immediately the confirmation of the Ownership Document, Which is $120 only.  100% Guarantee & Assurance cover you for fund received after confirmation.
 
Also be informed that many are after this Compensation Fund, which we don't know them or have any details about them, this is why you have to present the Ownership Document immediately. That is the reason why you are sending the $120 to us here in USA for security reason and safety of your payment and fund.
 
Yours In Services,
Meg Frm:
Christian Weideman
Chief of Staff at Treasury
------------------------------


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