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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: "W.B.C" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <munthasy12@sify.com>
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 17:56:44 -0800
Subject: RELEASE OF YOUR PAYMENT USD5.5 MILLION

(WORLD BANK ASSISTED PROGRAMME)
Directorate of International
Payment and Transfers.
New York, NY 10017, USA
Our Ref: WB/NF/UN/XX027
 
Attn: Beneficiary,
 
IRREVOCABLE RELEASE OF YOUR PAYMENT
 
We have actually been authorized by the newly appointed UN secretary general,and the governing body of the UNITED NATIONS monetary unit, to investigate the unnecessary delay of your inheritance fund, recommended and approved in your favour.
During the course of our investigation, we discovered with dismay that your payment have been unnecessarily delayed by corrupt officials of the Bank who are trying to divert your money into their private account.
 
We obtained an irrevocable payment guarantee on your Payment. We are happy to inform you that your entire Inheritance funds have been credited in your favor through ATM card. You are therefore advice to send your contact details to the officer in charge to collect your original payment slip with your ATM card as follows:
REV. OWEN SAMUELSON
International Audit unit,
United Nations Liaison Office London
 
They will issue you an ATM card that you can use to withdraw money in any ATM machine in any part of the world, but the maximum is Ten Thousand dollars per day. So if you like to receive your funds through this means kindly let us know by contacting the card payment center and also send the following information as stated below to them as directed above.
 
1. PHONE AND FAX NUMBER
2. YOUR MAILING ADDRESS
3. YOUR AGE AND CURRENT OCCUPATION
 
NOTE: YOU ARE ADVICED TO FURNISH REV. OWEN SAMUELSON WITH YOUR CORRECT CONTACT DETAILS.AND ALSO BE INFORMED THAT THE AMOUNT TO BE PAID NOW IS$5.5 MILLION THE REST WILL BE PAID TO YOU IN A LATER DATE.
 
CAPT.JAMES C. WILLIAMS
UN, NEW YORK
United Nations Liaison Office London
 
 

Anti-fraud resources: