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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "DOUGLAS M. MARTINS" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <info.nypd1@usa.com>
Date: Wed, 13 Jun 2012 06:55:04 -0700
Subject: ATTN:FUND BENEFICIARY{FROM:NEW-YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT}

NEW-YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT
(Inconjuction with INTERPOL)
Region No. 2 New York City, Knickerbockers Station
New York City, New -York 10002-0804 U.S.A.
    
                                       
 
Attn: Fund Beneficiary,
 
We contacted Mr.Ronald Moore and he said that the delivery was legally packaged for delivery to your designated address.
Mrs. Doris Lenn is still in detention, In view of your last email, we are now fully out to see that your package is delivered to you accordingly. Your name and address is clearly written on the said  package and there is no way you can say it does not belong to you, we carried out all necessary investigations before contacting you in the  first place.
We strongly assure you that since we are now involved, you are  definitely going to receive this package but not until you obtain the required Award Ownership Certificate, we can not release your package to you unless it is obtained and a copy received by this office, you are supposed to know that anything that is worth doing at all is worth  doing well.
We are supposed to invite you to our office in New-York for proper  interrogations, but we advise you at your best interest to adhere very strictly to our directives. Note that as soon as you obtain the certificate and send a copy to us, your sorrows would be over but if you ignore to obtain the said document you would be charged along with Mrs. Doris Lenn for money laundering, you are advised to stick to the 5 working days given to you to obtain the said document.
We await your immediate compliance.
 
Yours Truly,
I.P.A REGION NO: 2.
DOUGLAS M. MARTINS
NYPD.
 
 
CC: MR.RONALD MOORE
CC: FBI (NEW YORK)
CC: HOMELAND SECURITY
CC: CIA.
 

Anti-fraud resources: