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: "THE DESK OF THE DIRECTOR E-LOT PRIZE AWARD" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <williamssmithoffice@fastservice.com>
Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2012 03:07:40 -0800
Subject: LATEST ON AWARD OF FUND 2012

THE DESK OF THE DIRECTOR E-LOT PRIZE AWARD DEPT.

Attn: Dear Internet User,

You have been selected as the Grand recipient of the MICROSOFT 2012/2013 E-SERVICES REWARD PROGRAM. This entitles you to receive 500,000.00GBP.

Particulars of your Microsoft Award 2012 information are stated below:

Reference Number: - MICROSOFT/WINNER//2012/MS007
E-ticket number: MS007/2011/UK/0000034221
Serial No: MSN/2011-14 21 30 39 40 47 31
Amount: 500,000.00GBP (Five Hundred Thousand British Pounds)

You are to establish contact with the Enquiry Officer via the E-mail address below with the information's necessary such as;

Full name:...., Address:...., Occupation:...., Tel/Fax:.....,
E-ticket number:..., Cell/Mobile:....., Age:....., Email:....,
Alternative Email:..., and E-ticket number:

Enquiry officer's contact details:
CONTACT: Mr.Williams Smith
PHONE: 004470 4574 6136
EMAIL: williamssmithoffice@fastservice.com

NOTE: This is an Automated Message. Respond to your claims officer's email
address: williamssmithoffice@fastservice.com

Yours faithfully,
Dr. Margaret Thompson.
Promotions Co-ordinator.


Anti-fraud resources: