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: "Rodrigo De Rato" <rato11@mailbox.hu>
Reply-To: rodrigoderato08@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Wed, 28 May 2008 01:02:50 -0800
Subject: OUTSTANDING PAYMENT NOTIFICATION


OUTSTANDING PAYMENT NOTIFICATION

Good day

Your Long overdue Payment.

I saw your email ( in the Central Computer among the list of unpaid
contractors, inheritance next of kin and lotto beneficiaries that was
originated from Africa, Europe, Asia Plus Middle east, Americans ) among the
list of individuals and companies that your unpaid fund has been located in
the bank

Your email appeared among the beneficiaries, who will receive a part-payment
of your contractual sum and has been approved already for months.You are
requested to get back to me for more direction and instruction on how to
receive your fund. However, we received an email from one Mr.Virgle Lee
Samples who told us that he is your next of kinand that you died in a car
accident last week. He has also submitted his account for us to transfer the
fund to him including his International passport,we want to hear from you
before we can make the transfer to confirm if you are dead or not.

Once again, I apologize to you on behalf Of IMF (International Monetary
Fund) for failure to pay your funds in time, which according to records in
the system had been long overdue.


Yours Sincerely,

Mr.Rodrigo De Rato.

Anti-fraud resources: