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: MICROSOFT WINNING NOTIFICATION <claim4promo@cash4u.com>
Date: Fri, 14 May 2010 01:40:32 -0300
Subject: MICROSOFT WINNING NOTIFICATION




Microsoft Promotion Award Team
40 Rye crofts Way Stopsley
London,
United Kingdom.=20

MICROSOFT WINNING NOTIFICATION.... PROMO

The prestigious Microsoft=AE Windows XP Corporations wishes to inform you th=
at
your e-mail address emerged as one of their online lucky Winners selected
from
our private computerized lottery drawn here in London United Kingdom and thi=
s
selection process was carried out through a random selection in our
Computerized
Email Selection System (C.E.S.S.) from a database of over a million email
addresses from the world wide web.

This promotion was set-up to encourage the active users of the Internet
Microsoft=AE Windows. Hence we do believe that with your winning prize, you
will
continue to be active and patronage to the Microsoft=AE Windows XP
Corporations.

Therefore you have won the sum of =A3500,000.00 pounds {Five Hundred Thousan=
d
Great British Pounds}. A winning cheque will be issued in your name by the
Microsoft=AE Windows XP Corporation and also a certificate of prize claims
will be
sent to you along side with your winnings cheque. You are to make contact
with
your designated agent who shall by duty, guide you through the process of
facilitating the release of your Prize.

For claims,you are advised to contact your designated appointed agent
(Mr.Greg Brown)Of slt Limited on email claim4promo@cash4u.com

with the following details below.

VERIFICATION AND FUNDS RELEASE FORM.

(1) Your contact Address:
(2) Your Tel/Mobile Number:
(3) Your Nationality:
(4) Current Country:
(5) Your Full Names:
(6) Occupation:
(7) Date Of Birth:

Once again on behalf of all our staff and Managements we say CONGRATULATIONS=
!

Sincerely,

Microsoft Promotion Award Team,
United Kingdom Sub Region.

Anti-fraud resources: