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: Western Union <sgtmarkben@att.net>
Reply-To: western_union00173@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 8 Feb 2011 17:11:10 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Attention:


Attention:
 
After proper and several investigations and research at Western Union
and MoneyGram Offices, we found your name in Western Union database
amoung those that have sent money through Western Union to fraudsters
all around the world and this proves that you have truly been swindled
by those unscrupulous persons by sending money to them through Western
Union/MoneyGram in the course of getting one fund or the other that is
not real, right now we are working hand in hand with Western Union to
track this fraudsters down, do not respond to their e-mails, letters
and phone calls any longer as they are scammers and you should be very
careful to avoid being a victim to fraudsters any longer because they
have nothing to offer you but to rip-off what you have worked
earnestly hard to earn. In this regard a meeting was held by the world
bank and the United Nations security Council and as a consequence of
our investigations it was agreed that the sum of Two Hundred thousand
US Dollars (US$200,000.00) should be transferred to you out of the
funds that World Bank has set aside as a compensation to everyone who
have by one way or the other sent money to fraudsters in around the
world.
 ***Please note that we will no longer be liable for any loss, cost or
expense whatsoever, suffered or incurred by You in connection with the
fraudsters. Be warned!We have deposited your fund at Western Union
Money Transfer agent location in London, England. We have submitted
your details to them so that your Compensation fund can be transferred
to you.
Contact the Western Union agent office through any of the email
addresses stated below:

Email: western_union00173@yahoo.com
Yours sincerely,
Mr John white
For World Bank

Anti-fraud resources: