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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: "Basil Walter" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <basilwalter85@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 9 Apr 2011 02:08:35 -0700
Subject: ATTN

ATTN:
I understand if you don’t have the $2,000.00/Fees to send to our payment center, it is my duty and
 
responsibility as your account manager to make sure your transaction is successfully completed. If you need
 
my assistance, then I will be more than happy to help you pay the ($2,000.00) Charges/Fees, you don’t have to
 
pay the ($2,000.00) charges/Fees from your pocket, I will help you take care of everything financially only
 
if you agree to compensate me with $200,000.00 after your $5 Million Winning is successfully transferred into
 
your Bank Account, do we have a done deal? If you accept my terms; Fill your details below so my client can
 
make a transfer into your Credit card please note your credit card not Debit card kindly make sure that there is
 
no money inside so that you dont hold us of using your money after when the transaction has be done  you send
 
$2,000.00 to our payment office to have your transaction completed.
 
BANK NAME :
Credit Card limit:
CC number:
Expiry Date:
Name on CC:
Address and phone number:
Mother's Median Name:
Date of Birth: SSN:
Toll free no at the back of the card
Home/Cell #      :
When emailing, please use reference number 250-153 for our mutual convenience
Sincerely,
Basil Walter
Welfare officer,
World Bank Creditors

Anti-fraud resources: