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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: "Edith Lopez" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <infofb@skymail.mn>
Date: Mon, 8 Aug 2011 17:25:51 -0400
Subject: Receive ref No 77989b/kkt....>

I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU TO CONTACT ME FOR YOUR INHERITANCE WINNING FUND OF $5.5m USD AND TO DIRECT ME ON HOW TO SEND YOUR VALUED SUM TO YOU.HOWEVER,
SINCE I DID NOT HEAR FROM YOU,THEN I HAVE DEPOSITED THE TOTAL WINNING VALUES & CARGO TO THE HEAD OFFICE OF THE COURIER COMPANY BECAUSE I TRAVELLED OUT OF THE
COUNTRY AND I WILL NOT COME BACK TILL EARLY NEXT YEAR.I WANT YOU TO CONTACT THE TRUST SECURITY AND CARGO COMPANY TO KNOW WHEN THEY WILL DLIVER YOUR
CONSIGNMENT BOX TO YOU THROUGH THE RECEIVING ADDRESS YOU WILL SEND TO THEM. I HAVE PAID FOR THE DELIVERY FEE. THE ONLY THING YOU WILL PAY IS THE STORAGE FEE
WHICH THE CONSIGNMENT MAY HAVE ACCUMULATED SINCE I DEPOSITED IT.
PLEASE TAKE NOTE THAT AS SOON AS THEY DELIVER THE CONSIGNMENT, USE THIS CODE NUMBERS TO OPEN THE BOX So AS TO CONFIRM IF THE TOTAL FUNDS OF FIVE MILLION,FIVE
HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS ($5.5M) THIS CODE ( 0036589] IS FOR YOU AND MOST CONFIDENTIAL BECAUSE IT IS JUST LIKE THE FUNDS INSIDE YOUR
CONSIGNMENT. PLEASE CONTACT THEM WITH BELOW INFORMATION.
TRUST SECURITY SERVICE HEAD OFFICE
DESPATCH DIRECTOR, DOUGLAS WILLIAMS
Email:infofb@skymail.mn
TRY TO CONTACT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO AVOID INCREASING THE STORAGE FEE. PLEASE RE-CONFIRM  THE BELOW INFORMATION TO THE COMPANY IMMEDIATELY AND TELL THEM TO
SEND YOU THE AIRWAY BILL RECEIPT AS SOON AS YOU SEND THEM THE STORAGE FEE.I WOULD HAVE PAID THE FEE FOR YOU,BUT THEY SAID NO AS THEY DONT KNOW THE ACTUAL
TIME YOU WILL CONTACT THEM FOR THE DELIVERY, SO PLEASE THEY ARE WAITING FOR YOU TO CONTACT THEM WITH THE NEEDED INFORMATION BELOW TO AVOID MISTAKE IN
DELIVERY.
(1) Full Name:
(2) Address:
(3) Phone:
(4) Company Name:
(5) Company Address:
(6) Company Position:
(7) Profession:
(8) Age:
(9) Marital Status:
LET ME KNOW AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE YOUR CONSIGNMENT,  PLEASE ALWAYS CALL THEM TO KNOW THE CONDITION OF THIS CONSIGNMENT.
BEST REGARDS,
EDITH LOPEZ.

Anti-fraud resources: