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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: "Rt Hon George Osborne MP" <control@hm-treasury.gov.uk>
Reply-To: <g.osborne@gmx.com>
Date: Wed, 18 Apr 2012 10:59:00 +0100
Subject: Read Instruction

HM Treasury's Correspondence and Enquiry Unit
From The Office of Rt Hon George Osborne MP
Chancellor of the Exchequer
Horse Guards Road
London SW1A 2HQ
Tel:+44 (0) 700 580 0054
 
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
 
Our Ref: UK/TREAS/898ATCP
File Code No: HM/IMF/7890/121
 
 
Dear Sir,
 
Have you made any past attempt to claim lottery winning funds, contact funds or any inheritance fund on your name from Africa, Asia and within the United Kingdom without any success? We have set up a panel to review unsuccessful individual transactions with international inheritance/contract insurance and lottery organizations including foreign banks especially in Africa, Asia and within the United Kingdom.
 
From the investigations made, you are entitled to receive an approved sum of $15,500,000.00 USD but your fund payment application requirements are not complete. Therefore, we will not be able to authorize any Bank in United Kingdom to pay any fund to you until you correct this mistake.
 
It is very important we state that you will never receive your funds through any foreign bank until you provide an evidence of your identification document such as a scanned copy of your drivers license or international passport.
 
 
Failure to provide this requirement for your payment will continue to nullify your chances of receiving your funds, and this fund will be confiscated and made to be forfeited under the Money Laundering and other Financial Crime Prohibition Act of 2003.
 
Kindly cooperate with my assistance and I will make sure your funds are paid to you without delay.
 
 
Regards,
Chancellor of the Exchequer
Rt Hon George Osborne MP (Conservative)
HM Treasury Chancellor's Private Office.
 
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Disclaimer: The information in this email and in any files transmitted with it, is intended only for the addressee and contains confidential and/or privileged material. Access to this email by anyone else is unauthorized. If you receive this in error, please contact the sender immediately and delete the material from your computer. If you are not the intended recipient, any disclosure, copying, distribution or any action taken or omitted to be taken in reliance on it, is strictly prohibited.
 

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