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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: "Mr Harry Lawson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <hlawson02@secretarias.com>
Date: Wed, 26 May 2010 08:16:08 +1000
Subject: ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICAN STATES

Attention: Beneficiary,


I have been informed by the CHEVRON/TEXACO COMPANY LTD to anticipate your message as this office has been assigned to handle the payment of your grant donation prize and also to alert you that your previous mail was received here on this office desk and content clearly documented.

I would advise you follow the instructions given to you and your Donation parce lwill be sent to you fully sealed within the next 24hours. A cheque has been issued in your name and we have concluded the processing of all documents that will facilitate the clearance of the cheque in your Bank.


This documents includes the following:

1.DONATION CHEQUE VALUED THE SUM OF US$2,000,000.00.
2.DONATION CERTIFICATE FROM THE CHEVRON/TEXACOEXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION COMPANY
LTD(CTEPC).
3.CLEAR SOURCE OF FUNDS CERTIFICATES(C.S.F.C.)
4.LETTER OF AFFIDAVITS FROM THE NIGERIAN HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE,
STATING THAT THE DONATION WAS RECEIVED LEGALLY FROM THE UNIVERSAL DONATION
PROGRAMME,

AND DULY SIGNED BY THE LEGAL ATTORNEY TO THE ECOWAS.

These documents have been securely sealed and packed for security reasons which makes it impossible for anyone to view until its been delivered to you. Find below our delivery options which you are required to choose the one that is most convenient to you to enable the delivery of your parcel to the address which is sent by you to this office.


I want you to indicate once more your mode of delivery for the purpose of documentation in the ECOWAS HEAD OFFICE.

DHL Cost of delivery Mailing: US $100.00

Vat:US $10.00
Insurance:US $150.00
Total:260usd


FEDEX Cost of delivery Mailing:US $50.00

VAT US $10.00
Insurance: US $150.00
Total:$US210.00


UPS Cost of delivery

Mailing: US$7.00
VAT US$5.00
Insurance: US$160.00
Total:$US190.00


All three options are 24hours delivery after shipmentNB: THE INSURANCE FEE (US$150:00) IS ABSOLUTELY COMPULSORY, AND MUST BE PAID BEFORE THE SHIPMENT OF YOUR PARCEL WHILE THE MAILING FEE SHOULD BE PAID TO THE DELIVERY AGENT ON DELIVERY).

Due to the diplomatic content of your parcel, it will be illegal to send it without being insured as it will violate the federal delivery rules governing diplomatic parcel delivery.This means payment for the insurance fee must be made before the parcel is sent to avoid risk.


This is because of some bad experience we had in the past. We can not afford to re-issueyour cheque if anything goes wrong.

Your prize is protected by a hardcover insurance policy, which makes it impossible to deduct any amount from the money before remittance. This means that the above insurance charges cannot be deducted from the prize and hence must be provided by you before your parcel is shipped.

This is in accordance with section 13(1)(n) of the international gambling act as adopted in 1993 and amended on 3RD july 1996 by the constitutional assembly.

This is to protect receipients and to avoid misappropriation of funds.



1, Full Name...........................
2, Address of Residence:.................
3, country from:..................
4, Telephone Number:..................
5, Occupation...................
6, Age:..................


Kindly mail back immediately you receive this mail .

MR. HARRY LAWSON

ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICAN STATES
ECOWAS HEAD OFFICE


Anti-fraud resources: