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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: "Robert Mueller" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <usa.fbi01@gala.net>
Date: Sun, 25 Jul 2010 18:44:55 -1200
Subject: **URGENT RESPONSE NEEDED FROM THE FBI**

Anti-Terrorist And Monetary Crimes Division
FBI Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
Federal Bureau Of Investigation
J.Edgar Hoover Building
935 Pennsylvania Avenue, Nw Washington, D.C. 20535-0001
ATTN: BENEFICIARY
This is to Officially inform you that it has come to our notice and we have thoroughly completed an Investigation with the help of our Intelligence Monitoring Network System that you legally won the sum of $2,500,000.00 US Dollars from a Lottery Company outside the United States of America. During our investigation we discovered that your e-mail won the money from an Online Balloting System and we have authorized this winning to be paid to you via Wire transfer.
 
Normally, it will take up to 10 business days for an International Check to be cashed by your local bank. We have successfully notified this company on your behalf that funds will be deposited in a secured and registered bank, so as to enable you transfer the funds instantly to your choiced bank account without any delay, henceforth the stated amount of $2,500,000.00 US Dollars has been deposited with Deutsche Bank in London, UK.
 
We have completed this investigation and you are hereby approved to receive the winning prize as we have verified the entire transaction to be Safe and 100% risk free, due to the fact that the funds have been deposited at Deutsche Bank in London, UK. You will be required to contact the Lottery Agent in-charge of this transaction whom is located in London, UK.
 
The Email Balloting System lottery winning head office has deposited your winnings in a bank in Deutsche Bank in London, UK.... I want you to contact this information for your online banking details to be given to you, in order for you to have an access to your winnings and you will also be granted the access to transfer to your choiced bank account world wide. In order to proceed with this transaction, you will be required to contact the agent in-charge ( GEORGE OSBORNE) via e-mail. Kindly look below to find appropriate contact information:
 
CONTACT AGENT NAME: MR. GEORGE OSBORNE
 
E-MAIL ADDRESS:george-osborne002@hotmail.com
 
You will be required to e-mail him with the following information:
 
FULL NAME:
ADDRESS:
CITY:
STATE:
ZIP CODE:
AGE/SEX:
DIRECT CONTACT NUMBER:
FBI Director
Robert Mueller.     
NOTE: In order to ensure your online access gets to you ASAP, you are advised to immediately contact MR. GEORGE OSBORNE via contact information provided above.

Anti-fraud resources: