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: "Western Union" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <wu_center0@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2012 17:54:20 -0500
Subject: From Western Union Money Transfer: Office In charge Of Your Fund. July 2012

OFFICE OF THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER.
MFB SATELITE -OBALENDE BRANCH
SATELITE MICROFINANCE BANK
21A OBALENDE ROAD, SOUTH WEST
IKOYI, LAGOS NIGERIA
 
 
>From Western Union Money Transfer: Office In charge Of Your Fund. July 2012
 
 
This is to bring to your notice that my office has taking over all the money Transaction originated from any part of African/ Europe and Asia counties etc. as Contract payment, Fund inheritance or Lottery Winning, ATM Debit cards, henceforth commercial banks, Security Companies, ATM Credit and Debit Union including any offshore payment centers are no more authorized to handle release of funds due to
Unauthorized/incapability of financial Institutions/security companies In releasing such huge sum of money due to Fraud, terrorist and money Laundry activities going on world wide.
 
 
I write to inform you that we have already sent you $5000.00 dollars through Western union as we have been given the mandate to transfer your payment total sum of $1.5 Million,via western union by this
Government.
 
 
Please pick up this information and run to western union to pick up the $5000.00 and call me back to send you another payment today, My direct phone line is;  +234 702 973 0504      , payment officer Mr.  Lyd NkumeBrown Email: (wu_center0@yahoo.co.jp) call or email me once you picked up this $5000.00 today. Here is the western union information to pick up the Money;
 
 
SENDER'S NAME:  KENNETH WASHINGTON
 
MTCN: 884 371 1108
 
AMOUNT:$5,000.00 US DOLLARS
 
TEXT QUESTION:WHAT COLOUR
 
TEXT ANWSER:RED
 
 
I am waiting for your call once you pick up this $5000.00,Please email me your direct telephone number because I need to be calling you once we send any payment for the information.
 
 
Thanks
 
 
Mr. Lyd Brown
Payment Officer Western Union
Lagos Nigeria
Direct Contact Email: wu_center0@yahoo.co.jp
Tel:+234 702 973 0504     
www.westernunion.co.uk
Western Union®
Welcome to Western Union
 
 
 
 

Anti-fraud resources: