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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: "WESTERN UNION .UK" <w_union@westernunion.com>
Reply-To: w_union@q8mail.us
Date: Fri, 3 Jun 2011 21:51:00 +0800 (PHT)
Subject:




FROM OFFICE OF THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER LOCATION/ COUNTY: LONDON,
UNITED KINGDOM.
WEB: http://www.westernunion.com

ATTENTION: BENEFICIARY

We hereby officially notify you that the British Government and the World
Bank have concluded plans to pay you a compensation fund of One Million
Two Hundred and Fifty thousand United States Dollars ($1,250,000.00 USD)
which is to compensate you on your experience with Nigerian fraudsters in
line with the newly passed law on scam compensation worldwide.

They have decided that you should be paid through the services of Western
Union. This arrangement will allow you to receive a maximum of $50,000.00
USD daily from any Western Union Outlet in your country.

Your status at Western Union will be upgraded so that you can transact
larger amounts more comfortably from anywhere around the world.

The World Bank introduced this payment arrangement as to enable our
overseas beneficiary to receive their fund without any interference.

I write to inform you that the first payment of $50,000.00 has already
been approved to send to you today.

Reconfirm the following information to us for Security reason.

1) YOUR FULL NAME AND ADDRESS: .....
2) YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER: .....

I have good authority to email you the MTCN and sender's details as below,
but your full data's has not been entered into the system as you will need
to obtain an Affidavit of Claim from the British Crown Court before the
funds can be released to you at Western Union in your country.

MTCN: 277-715-1174
SENDER'S NAME: DAVID WILLIAMS

The Affidavit of Claim will ensure proper documentation of your funds and
of the release process.

The Affidavit is obtainable form the court for $1,875.

You will have to send the $1,875 before you can be able to pick up the
first payment and i want you to send the $1,875 right now so we can
release your $50,000 for you to pick it up immediately in-order to send
you another $50,000 tomorrow and subsequently.

YOU ARE INFORMED TO SEND THE $1,875 USD VIA WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER
TO OUR CASHIER NAME: (MR. ANDREW GODWIN). YOU ARE THEN TO SEND US A MAIL
INDICATING THE MONEY TRANSFER CONTROL NUMBER FOR THE TRANSACTION.

After you make the payment, send the information to my email and call me
on phone so that I will work on your file as soon as possible.

Note: No one has access over your fund as it have been directed that no
money be deducted until it gets to you to avoid any misunderstanding
because if any one has access to that it will involve you loosing the
funds.

Upon the receipt of this mail we are going to load your full information
unto our data base so you can begin to receive your payments.

CONGRATULATIONS IN ADVANCE.

BEST REGARDS,
DR. DANIEL POWELL
REGIONAL MANAGER, UK
TEL: +44-703-596-3368
EMAIL: w_union@q8mail.us


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