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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: "jerry white" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrsdianawilliams_cbn@yahoo.es>
Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2012 17:21:09 -0700
Subject: [!! SPAM] Good News

*This message was transferred with a trial version of CommuniGate(r) Pro* *This message was transferred with a trial version of CommuniGate(r) Pro*
Fund Foreign Verification and Inspection Commission Unit CBN (FFVICU                                                                        
                                     Are You Alive?  Please call urgent
Hello Beneficiary,
I received a letter today that your unclaimed approved payment of $6million USD by this Ministry for the past one year should now be paid to Mr. John Wheeler, 1101 West 18th Avenue, Emporia, Kansas 66801 U.S.A.  In the said letter which is change of beneficiary/ownership, it is said that you are dead and that he is your next of kin, it went further to say you signed a deed and an agreement with Mr. John Wheeler to become your beneficiary before your untimely death.
But because of the elaborate global scam, I decided to contact you first for confirmation and if after seven working days, no response is received from you, it will be assumed that you are dead and as such authorization and approval will be granted on behalf of Mr. John Wheeler to claim/receive your fund.
But if you are well and alive then confirm this letter and reconfirm your Information and how you want your said fund to be paid to you without further delay. Send your responses to me.
Below is the information you are expected to re-confirm.
Full Name:
Address:
Phone no:
Occupation:
Email:
Login: unitednationoffice.ng76@yahoo.es  password: information33
Click on Online Transfer and Make Transfer Online. This is the link he has provided for us to transfer the money into. Confirm by yourself.  Please you must call urgent for what next to do if you are alive? Get back to me in my confidential email: mrsdianawilliams_cbn@yahoo.es, or mrs_dianawilliams@yahoo.es
Best Regards,
Mrs. Diana Williams (Executive Director FFVICU)

Anti-fraud resources: