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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr. Aliyu Umar" <umaraliyu@alialiumary.com>
Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2008 17:15:03 -0700
Subject: Dear Sir/Madam..

Attn; I have been waiting for you to come down here and pick your funds but you din't show up.Then I left behind(Compensation Sum)US$600,000.00 as a bank draft with my secretary in africa,because I have been in Africa for business and i am back in the UK for the holidays. I want you to contact my secretary and make arrangements to deliver your package.Contact her right away:

Mrs. Faridah Dahlan
faridahdahl_68@yahoo.com.sg

I gave her your "delivery address" but you have to reconfirm it to her with your details and parcel ref # THT203/NIG/09N, to avoid any mistakes on the delivery as the draft contains a large amount. Let me know as soon as you receive your package.

Yours Faithfully,
Dr. Aliyu Ahmed Umar
Federal Ministry of Finance.

Anti-fraud resources: