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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: "Mrs.Mary Pym" <mary_pym@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: marypymonline@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2007 21:52:32 +0000
Subject: URGENT ASAP.

ATTENTION PLEASE.

COMPLIMENTS
I AM MRS.MARY PYM A BRITISH
NATIONAL AND THE HEAD OF PRIVATE BANKING SECTION IN
LONDON ENGLAND. MYSELF AND MY ASSOCIATES IN MY
DEPARTMENT HAVE EARLIER IN THE YEAR RECOVERED THE SUM
OF $10,000,000.00 (TEN MILLION DOLLERS) WHICH THE
ACCOUNT WAS OPERATED ON THE 9TH OF SEPTEMBER 2001 AND
THE SAID ACCOUNT WAS A SAUDI REGISTERED COMPANIES
ACCOUNT. IN THE CAUSE OF DOING OUR JOBS, WE DECIDED TO
INVESTIGATE THE COMPANY ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT THE
COMPANYS DIRECTORS DOESN'T EXIST WE HAD NO OPTION THAN
TO MOVE THE FUND TO A SUSPENSE ACCOUNT AND CLOSE UP
THE ACCOUNT. AS A RESULT OF THIS, BASED ON FREVIOUS
RECORDS BEFORE LONG, THESE FUND WILL BE REVERTED BACK
TO COMPANIES TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED FUNDS, BUT BEFORE
THIS HAPPENS WE HAVE CONCLUDED AND CONSILED
ARRANGEMENTS TO CONFIDENTIAL AND RESPECTABLE PERSON OR
BODY IN LESS THAN (7) SEVEN WORKING DAY'S. THE
ARRANGEMENT IS THIS; WE WILL AFFECT THE TRANSFER TO
ANY TRUSTED ACCOUNT AFTER WHICH WE WILL GRANT 25% TO
YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE WHILE MY GROUP WILL MAKE DUE
WITH 75%.BESIDES, THERE IS NO RISK INVOLVED IN
THIS TRANSACTION AS EVERY BIT WILL BE HANDLED IN A
PROFFESSIONAL MANNER AND UTMOST SINCEREITY AND
CONFIDENTIAL. YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE IS HIGHLY
IMPERATIVE YOURS FAITHFULLY.
MARY PYM CHIEF
FINANCIAL (CFO)

_________________________________________________________________
The average US Credit Score is 675. The cost to see yours: $0 by Experian.
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