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: "UNITED NATIONS" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <unnewtrusty004@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 20 Dec 2009 19:27:01 -0800
Subject: Attn:Beneficiary

UNITED NATIONS
COMPENSATION COMMISSION
Our Ref: WB/NF/UN/XX027

From: Capt. Arnold Lung

Attention: Beneficiary,

IRREVOCABLE RELEASE OF YOUR PAYMENT.

We are of the United Nations Debt Reconciliation Unit newly set up by the United Nations in conjunction with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).See and read this link: http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2003/ik344.doc.htm

It was Resolved and Agreed that part payment of Eight million, Five Hundred Thousand British Pounds (£8,500,000.00) of your Unclaimed funds would be released on a special method of payment which tag Name Reads SWIFT ATM BANK CREDIT CARD.SEND YOUR NAME,ADDRESS,NEXT OF KIN.PHONE AND FAX NUMBER TO CLAIM YOUR FUND. Send your details to RICHARD FRENCHMAN head of review, World Debt Reconciliation: EMAIL:richard@united-nationspaymentcenter.org

Thanks

Capt. Arnold Lung
Payment Co-ordinator.

Anti-fraud resources: