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: <halifaxbank.plc@london.com>
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:15:07 +0100
Subject: Read Carefully!!!

Read Carefully!!!
This electronic message is confidential and strictly for you.
 
We wish to inform you that we have officially verified your account with your bank and have found your account eligible to receive the fund valued $4.600,000.00 (Four million six hundred thousand dollars.) from United Nations Government ongoing compensation program that  has been duly processed and approved to be transferred into your personal account as a result of the recent world economic and financial crisis.
 
Please reconfirm your personal Information once again to enable the bank  effect transfer immediately to your bank account.
 
You are to contact the Halifax  Bank Plc for the immediate transfer of your said fund to your bank account. You are to contact the below information of the Halifax  Bank Plc.
 
BANK NAME: HALIFAX  BANK PLC UNITED KINGDOM (UK)
DIRECTOR IN CHARGE: MR. EDWARD SMITH
EMAIL ADDRESS: halifaxbank.plc@london.com
 
As soon as they  hear from you, they  shall commence the T/T wire transfer into your account.
Please advise them immediately for onward action.
 
Thank you
Bank Security
Alert.
 

Anti-fraud resources: