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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: Alfred Riwanne <info@admin.net>
Reply-To: wuwisconsin@aol.com
Date: Mon, 29 Oct 2012 12:36:58 +0200
Subject: CONTACT WESTERN UNION

Attention,
 
 
After proper and several investigations and research at Western Union and Money Gram Office, we found your name in Western Union database amongst those that have sent money through Western Union and this proves that you have truly been swindled by those unscrupulous persons by sending money to them through Western Union/Money Gram in the course of getting one fund or the other that is not real. In this regard a meeting was held between the Board of Directors of The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) also with The Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) alongside with the Ministry of Finance - UNITED KINGDOM and as a consequence of our investigations it was agreed that the sum of One Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars (U.S.$150,000.00) should be transferred to you out of the funds that THE TREASURER OF THE UNITED STATES has set aside as for compensation payment
 
We have deposited your funds at Western Union Money Transfer agent location in Wisconsin,USA. We have submitted your details to them so that your funds can be transferred to you.Contact the Western Union agent office through the email address below;
 
Contact Person: James Joseph
Address: Western Union Office, Wisconsin, USA
 
 
 
Yours sincerely,
Alfred Riwanne,
Investigation Officer.
THE ECOWAS COMMISSION
 
 

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