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: UK NATIONAL E-LOTTERY PROGRAM CLAIMS DEPARTMENT <uknationallottery_claimsdept1@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2007 13:52:56 +0100 (BST)
Subject: FILL AND RETURN YOUR WINNER-VERIFICATION AND FUNDS RELEASE FORM..


Dear Winner,

This is to acknowledge the receipt of your email with the attached verification form which you are yet to fill out and submit back to this office. Be advised to fill out your verification form as it is needed by this lottery company to enable us open a file in your favour for record purposes.

We urge you to act according to our instruction, and have your verification form submitted back to this office for further processing on your claims file.

Best Wishes,
Catherine Nola


---------------------------------
Yahoo! Answers - Get better answers from someone who knows. Tryit now.

Anti-fraud resources: