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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: "UN" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <unantonio@megamail.pt>
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 2010 05:03:31 +0100
Subject: Please reply

From the desk of Mr. Antonio Marie Costa
Director – General, Drug and financial crime
London United Kingdom
Reference NO: ICJ9807784544
File No: UNLUK/MD51999-SLP: MD/MIN
Index No: ECOWAS/640840045
CPC NO: 0005437

Dearest Bona-Fide Beneficiary,

Sir/Madam,

This is in reference to the information we received from our undercover and special team in financial matter about groups of unscrupulous officials that has been using their offices diverting innocent people funds to unknown account and extorting their hard earn income for there selfish interest.

We previously reviewed a video clips forwarded to this office regarding these matters and we concluded that prosecutable violation of federal criminal civil rights statutes disclosed.

In subsequent telephone calls to this section, we were informed by
Paralegal specialist that you are among the victims that losses money in African continent and the other parts of the world.

We will appreciate any information giving to this office about the accused impostors and FAKE bank/deposit houses officials, and their criminals groups that have been taken your money without filling his/her obligation rather continues dragging you to the endless bills.

Be informed that after our thorough investigation we are authorized under paralegal law and authority concerned to appoint a reliable bank that will effect your payment after authenticating your bank particulars and revalidating of your payment documents in the Royal Crown of Justice, London.

We have apprehended some of the unscrupulous bankers and other officials for interrogation and their managements have agreed and released your overdue payment file to the United Nations as stated above.

We apologize for the delays due to our professional procedures to get you informed after all the investigation has been completed.

Be informed that your adequate cooperation will be to your own benefits, contact barrister Michael Ashe QC SC, via e-mail: barr.mashe@megamail.pt for obtaining your fund origin United Nations Payment application approval to enhance the smooth remittance of your fund.

We deeply sympathize with you for the ugly experiences you have passed through as indicated in your payment file. We have taken up your matter and your success is 100% guarantee upon your adherence to our directives.

For official status reconfirms your details as it is stated below via
E-mail: unantonio@megamail.pt your full name, banking coordinates, Telephone number, Physical address and amount expecting for security reason.

Warning!! Stop further communication with the scam artist that are using their offices for cheating innocent people and keep our rescue intervention top confidential, note we are checking every communication with our monitoring gadget and from now henceforth do not respond to any correspondent that is not identify with this assigned confidential payment code: CPC NO:0005437.

Treat as a matter of urgency and I will treat your matter before leaving to Honduras South America for poverty alleviation seminar.

REF: WE HAVE INSTRUCTED HSBC LONDON TO EFFECT ALL DELAY OVERDUE PAYMENT: ISSUED YOU AFRESH ATM CARD, CHEQUE, CASHER’S CERTIFIED DRAFT, ONLINE ELECTRONICS BANK ACCOUNT OR KEY TESTED TELEGRAPHIC TRANSFER (KTT ), THIS SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT IS TO PURGE SCAM ARTIST!

Our interest is to protect human rights and the law of the land.

Yours faithfully

Antonio Marie Costa
Director – General, Drug and financial crime
United Nations

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