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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: "Anthony Wilkinson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <natwestransfdepart@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2012 15:44:05 +0100
Subject: Private & Confidential!

NatWest Bank plc. 501, Silbury Boulevard Saxon Gate East, Milton Keynes MK9 3ER (UK) Compliment of the day,I am Mr. Anthony Wilkinson, Treasury Officer of Natwest Bank (UK)There Is an account opened in my bank in 2000 and since 2007 nobody has operated on this account ,after going through some old files in the records I discovered that if I do not remit this money out urgently it would be forfeited for nothing.The owner of this account is Mr. Ronnie Wong, a foreigner and a miner at Mount Resources Ltd. He died since 2003, and no other person knows about this account .There is also No beneficiary to this funds(£8,000,000.00) deposited in natwest bank .I shall give to you all required documents and information.I need your full co-operation and trust to move this money.Get back to me Asap for more info. Regards, Anthony Wilkinson

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