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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: "MR.EDWIN WILLIAMS" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mr_edwin_williams01@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 19:17:26 +0100
Subject: Governor of foreign payment department of Nigeria.

Attention:
 
This is to ask you why you have decided to change your existing bank account which was supposed to use in transferring your contract payment.
 
Your payment has been normalized and approved for immediate transfer in your account before one Mr.William Rubino ADDRESS,,,, 209 village lane, daily city, California 94015 Usa came to this bank directly this department (foreign payment department) with a new account from you which says that you sent him to change your account to a new account which he has just brought for the transfer of your payment.
 
Now we want to ask you, are you aware of his visit and did you tell him to change to a new account? because he came with a power of attorney from you which is so convincing that you really sent him. But as the M/D of this department, I have instructed the order to stop the payment in order to hear from you first.
 
This is to avoid any wrong transfer thereafter, if this bank did not hear from you in two days time of this mail we assumed that you have changed your account and we shall not hesitate to transfer to the new account brought by this man William Rubino,
 
Thanks,
Yours faithfully
Mr. Edwin Williams.
Governor of foreign payment department of Nigeria.

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