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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. LEE POWER" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <drleepower2010@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Feb 2010 15:04:06 -0600
Subject: DETAILS OF YOUR WESTERN UNION MTCN FINAL NOTIFICATION.

  
Western Union Payments
 
        Western Union Logo
FROM OFFICE OF THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER.
112 SURE ROAD LAGOS ISLAND, NIGERIA.
Attn: Beneficiary,
We have received your mail application to the release of your deposited fund of $1.5m which was credited to you and scheduled to be remitted to you in an instalmental bases of $5000 per transfer as that is the limit we can transfer out here per day.
All the arrangement to effect the first transfer in your favour has been concluded and it has been signed and endorsed for the MTCN to be release in your favour for pick up at any Western Union closer to you.
But your transfer file has been dormant and inactive to record the procedure of the transfer so it needs to be renew to reflect the date of the transfer,as our system cannot accept your transfer programing unless Transfer file is renew for record update.
You are duty bound to secure the transfer file and renew your transfer record before we can start sending your fund in an installmental bases of $5000 as planned. And Once the fee for the process is receive we will program your first transfer and send you the MTCN to pick the first payment, remember that you will have a valid means of identification that will correspond with the name you have given us.
We want to make clear to you that our policy does not charge beneficiary for any upfront payment before releasing your transfer MTCN but due to the inactivie of your transfer file the system can not keep record of your transfer procedings for transparency as demanded by the Central Bank to help checkmate the present economics crisis of world over today, and unless the file is renew the programing cannot be effected, so understand why you are being charged.
The cost for renewing of your transfer procedings is $175 and once that is being send via the Western Union means to the transfer update and validting unit your transfer file will be build and the system will program your first transfer MTCN of $5000 ready for pick up at any western union outlet closer to you.
Bear in mind that the payment cannot be release to you unless you present a valid ID card that correspond to the name you are given above, so take note and if there is any change to your Name and address provided please correct now before the programing start.
Use Below information to send the fee for your first MTCN of $5000 to be release.
Receivers Name: Peter Stephen
Receivers Address: Lagos / Nigeria
Test Question: Western
Test Answer: Union
Forward the payment details as soon as the transfer is completed to enable us renew your file and do the needful.
Thanks and God bless for your time.
Dr.Lee Power.
You Can call me on my telephone no: +2347023037506
             
                                 Dollars

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