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: "dr.okala8 Gazeta.pl" <dr.okala8@gazeta.pl>
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:09:23 +0200
Subject: MY DEAR GOOD FRIEND,


MY DEAR GOOD FRIEND,

HOW ARE YOU TODAY? I AM WRITING TO INFORM YOU THAT I HAVE PAID THE FEE
FOR YOUR CHEQUE DRAFT. AND I WENT TO THE BANK TO CONFIRM IF THE CHEQUE
HAS EXPIRED OR GETTING NEAR TO EXPIRE AND MRS SANDRA MATTHEW THE
DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL BANK OF WEST AFRICAN STATES (BCEAO) TOLD ME THAT
BEFORE THE CHEQUE WILL GET TO YOUR HAND THAT IT WILL EXPIRE. SO I TOLD
HIM TO CASH THE US$2.5MILLION US DOLLARS TO CASH PAYMENT TO AVOID
LOSTING THIS FUNDS.

HOWEVER, ALL THE NECESSARY ARRANGEMENT OF DELIVERING THE US$2.5MILLION
US DOLLARS IN CASH WAS MADE WITH FEDEX COURIER SERVICES COMPANY LTD.
IN COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC, MRS SANDRA MATTHEW THE DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL
BANK OF WEST AFRICAN STATES (BCEAO) COTONOU HAVE TO PACKAGE THE SUM OF
US$2.5MILLION US DOLLARS IN CASH FOR ME. THEN SHE ALSO AGREED TO HELP
ME TO REGISTERTHE CONSIGNMENT BOX WITH FEDEX COURIER SERVICES COMPANY
LTD. INFACT I'M HAPPY THAT EVERY MOVEMENT I MADE GOES NORMALLY.
AS FOR OUR AGREEMENT WITH THE FEDEX COURIER SERVICES COMPANY LTD. THEY
PROMISED THAT YOUR CONSIGNMENT WILL LEAVE THIS COUNTRY ON MONDAY NEXT
WEEK, BUT THE DIRECTOR OF THE FEDEX COURIER SERVICES COMPANY LTD. SAID
THAT THEY NEED YOUR CONTACTS INFORMATIONS TO ABLE THEM MEET UP WITH YOU

IMMEDIATELY THE DIPLOMAT AGENT ARRIVED TO YOUR COUNTRY. PLEASE WRITE A
LETTER OFAPPLICATION TO THE DIRECTOR OF FOREIGN DELIVERIES DEPARTMENT
ADDRESS BELOW.

ATTN:REV. DR. DOUGLAS HALL
TEL: : +229-93-905158
EMAILfedex.fedex.courierservice@gmail.com
WEBSITE : WWW.FEDEX.COM

PLEASE, SEND THEM YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION TO ABLE THEM LOCATE YOU
IMMEDIATELY THEY ARRIVED IN YOUR COUNTRY WITH YOUR BOX .THIS IS WHAT
THEY NEED FROM YOU.

1. YOUR FULL NAME
2. YOUR HOME ADDRESS.
3. YOUR CURRENT HOME TELEPHONE NUMBER.
4. YOUR CURRENT OFFICE TELEPHONE.
5. A COPY OF YOUR PICTURE

NOTE.FEDEX COURIER SERVICES COMPANY LTD.DON'T KNOW THE CONTENTS OF THE
BOX. I REGISTERED IT AS A BOX OF AN FAMILY VALUABLES. THEY DON'T KNOW
IT CONTENTS MONEY. THIS IS TO AVOID THEM DELAYING WITH THE BOX. DON'T
LET THEM KNOW THAT IS MONEY THAT IS IN THAT BOX. MORE SO BE INFORMED
THAT THIS IS A FEDEX DIPLOMATIC DELIVERY AND NOT ALL FEDEX STAFF ARE
AWARE OF THE DELIVERY ONLY THE DIRECTOR OF FOREIGN DELIVERIES
DEPARTMENT. DO CONTACT HIM ALONE DIRECTLY ON HIS EMAIL.

YOU CALL THE DIRECTOR OF THE COMPANY WITH THIS LINE: +229-93-905158
THANKS AND REMAIN BLESSED.

BARR.UGOCHUKWU GARRY (ESQ)

Anti-fraud resources: