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: DENNIS COLE <win202x@netscape.net>
Date: Thu, 05 Jan 2006 18:42:10 +0100
Subject: 2006 LOTTERY AWARD WINNER


LOTERIA PRIMITIVA SWEEPSTAKES PROMOTION.
CALLE/BUSMAN EL-BUENO, 13728007 MADRID SPAIN.
FROM: THE DESK OF THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT,
REF: LP/26510460037/02 BATCH: 24/00319/IPD

AWARD NOTIFICATION FINAL NOTICE.

WE ARE PLEASE TO INFORM YOU OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE WINNERS OF LOTTERY PRIMITIVA SWEEPSTAKES/INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS HELD ON 20Th DECEMBER 2005.YOUR CONTACT IS ATTACHED TO THE TICKET NUMBER 004-05117963-198, WITH SERIAL NUMBER 99375 DREW THE LUCKY NUMBERS : 01-15-37-38-48-49 AND CONSEQUENTLY WON THE LOTTERY IN CATEGORY 1B. YOU HAVE BEEN THEREFORE APPROVED THE SUM OF EUR 1,500,000.00 (ONE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED EUROS) CREDITED TO THE FILE NUMBER: LP/2656043/ES/104 THIS IS FROM THE TOTAL PRICE MONEY OF EURO 31.472.765.00 SHARED AMONG THE TWENTY THREE LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL WINNERS INALLCATEGORIES. ALL PARTICIPANTS WERE SELECTED THROUGH COMPUTER BALOTTING SYSTEM DRAWN FROM 45,000.00 NAMES FROM AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, AFRICA, EUROPE,AMERICA AND ASIA AS PART OF OUR INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION PROGRAM WHICH IS CONDUCTED EVERY TWO YEARS.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

YOUR FUND IS NOW INSURED TO YOUR CONTACT. DUE TO THE COMPUTER MIX-UP OF SOME NUMBERS AND CONTACTS, WE ASK YOU TO KEEP THIS AWARD STRICKLY FROM PUBLIC NOTICE UNTILL YOUR CLAIM HAS BEING PROCESSED AND YOUR MONEY REMITTED TO YOUR NOMINATED ACCOUNT.THIS IS PART OF OUR
SECURITY ADVICE TO AVOID DOUBLE CLAIMING OR UNSCRUPULOUS ACTS BY THE PARTICIPANTS OF THIS PROGRAM. YOU ARE TO CONTACT THE UNDERSIGNED OFFICE FOR THE CLAIMING OF YOUR AWARD PRICE winning2006@netscape.net SINCE ALL WE HAVE NOW IS THE WINNING TICKET NUMBER AND YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS WHICH WAS ATTACHED TO THE WINNING TICKET NUMBER.FOR DUE PROCESSING AND REMITTANCE OF YOUR AWARD PRICE, YOU ARE TO REPLYTHIS MAIL STATINGYOUR NUMBERS. DO NOTE THAT ALL PRICE MUST BE CLAIM NOT LATER THAN 30TH JANUARY 2006.AFTER THIS DATE, ALL FUNDS WILL BE RETURNED AS UNCLAIMED TO THE MINISTRY.

NOTE: IN ORDER TO AVOID UNNECESSARY DELAY AND COMPLICATIONS,PLEASE QUOTE YOUR REFERENCE AND BATCH NUMBERS IN EVERY OF YOUR CORRESPONDENCE. FURTHERMORE,SHOULD THERE BE ANY CHANGE OF YOUR ADDRESS DO INFORM THIS OFFICE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN FROM ALL OUR STAFF.
SINCERELY

MR. DENNIS COLE
THE PROMOTION MANAGER
0034-627-128-221: CALL FOR MORE CONFIRMATION
REPLY TO THIS EMAIL ADDRESS FOR YOUR CLAIM: winning2006@netscape.net

YOU ARE TO FORWARD TO THIS OFFICE ( winning2006@netscape.net ) THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:
1. FILE NUMBER:
2. BATCH NUMBER:
3. REFERENCE NUMBER:
4. WINNING NUMBER:
5. CATEGORY:
6. AMOUNT WON:
7a. FULL NAME:(MR/MRS)
b. TEL AND FAX NUMBER:(Office,Home and Mobile)
8. CITY/COUNTRY:
9. ADDRESS:(HOME AND OFFICE)
10. OCCUPATION/ORGANIZATION:
11. POSITION :
12. DATE OF BIRTH:
13. PRIVATE EMAIL ADDRESS:
ON THE CONFIRMATION OF THE ABOVE INFORMATION,WE WILL GIVE YOU THE CONTACT DETAILS OF THE BANK THAT WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PAYMENT OF YOUR AWARD. THEREAFTER,YOU WILL BE ISSUED WITH A CLAIM CERTIFICATE OF WINNING THAT WILL BE USED FOR THE CLAIM OF THE MONEY FROM YOUR BANK,AFTER GETTING CLEARANCE FROM THE MINISTERIO DE INTERIO HERE IN SPAIN.
NOTE:YOU ARE TO KEEP THIS AWARD OUT FROM PUBLIC NOTICE TO AVOID DOUBLE REPRESENTATION.YOU MUST ABSOLUTELY BE CONFIDENTIAL UNTILL THE BANK TRANSFERRED YOUR FUND INTO YOUR NOMINATED ACCOUNT. CONGRATULATIONS ONCE AGAIN.
THANKS
DENNIS COLE

Anti-fraud resources: