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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: "UN New York" <thweek5@vom-peterer-hof.de>
Reply-To: <oscjohnson@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Thu, 4 Feb 2010 03:02:46 -0800
Subject: Re: Your Beneficiary Payment

UNITED NATIONS
(WORLD BANK ASSISTED PROGRAMME)
DIRECTORATE OF INTERNATIONAL
PAYMENT AND TRANSFERS.
870 UNITED NATIONS PLAZA 20-A
NEW YORK NY 10017
WIRE TRANSFER/AUDIT U NIT
Our Ref: WB/NF/UN/XX027
EMAIL ADDRESS: unrickmilford2@gmail.com
 
ATTN: FUND BENEFICIARY
 
RE: IRREVOCABLE RELEASE OF YOUR BENEFICIARY PAYMENT
 
We have been authorized by the UN Secretary General, and the Governing Body of the UNITED NATIONS Monetary Unit, to investigate the unnecessary delay in release of your inheritance fund, recommend and approve the payment for immediate release in your favour if certified as genuine.
 
During the course of our investigation, we discovered with dismay that your payment has been unnecessarily delayed by corrupt Bank Officials who are trying to divert your money into their private accounts. To forestall this, security for your funds has been organized in the form of your Personal Identification Number (PIN) and your Transfer Access Code (T.A.C.). This measure will enable only you have direct control over this fund.
 
We have also agreed with the UN Secretary General that we will handle this payment ourselves to avoid the hopeless situation created by corrupt officials you have tried to receive the fund from in the past. Having already obtained an irrevocable payment guarantee on your Payment from the UN Secretary General, we are happy to inform you that based on our recommendation/instructions; your entire fund has been credited in your favour through our overseas fiduciary paying bank.
 
You are therefore advised to contact Mr. OSCAR JOHNSON; at our International Audit unit, United Nations Liaison Office Abuja Nigeria on this EMAIL: oscarj2071@yahoo.com.hk to collect your Original Payment Slip with your Pin and Transfer Access Code. As soon as you have received and submit these CODES and your Payment Slip to your bank, they will activate and credit your account without delay.
 
NOTE: YOU ARE ADVICED TO FURNISH MR. OSCAR JOHNSON WITH YOUR CORRECT CONTACT AND BANKING DETAILS TO AVOID TRANSFER OF THIS FUND INTO A WRONG ACCOUNT.
 
We expect your urgent response to this email to enable us monitor this payment effectively.
 
CONGRATULATIONS.
 
 
RICK MILFORD
UNITED NATIONS INT'L PAYMENT UNIT
NEW YORK
 

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