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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: "Mr Olumide Ajayi" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <olumideajayi02@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 13 Jan 2013 14:01:46 +0100
Subject: Attention Beneficiary

Attention:
 
 
REF/PAYMENTS CODE: UN/06654/TYSD ($65,000 USD)
 
 
This is to bring to your notice that we are delegated from the UNITED
NATIONS INTERNATIONAL FRAUD MONITORING UNIT, I wish to notify you that
the Office of the Nigerian presidency has been authorized to pay out
87 innocent victims of the widely know internet scam called Advanced
Fee Fraud aka (419) the sum of US$65,000 (Sixty Five Thousand Dollars
Only each).You have been listed and approved for this payment as one
of the scammed victims.
 
On these faithful recommendations, we want you to know that during the
last U.N. meeting held at Abuja, Nigeria, as it has come to an
alarming proportion based on reports from different victims, some of
these victims have almost lost their lives, families, properties, and
friends. The most alarming aspect of the issue was on the amount money
lost by these various innocent individuals to scams artists operating
in syndicates all over the world today, and in other to compensate
victims, the UNITED NATIONS Body in conjunction with the newly elected
government in Nigeria has agreed to pay 87 victims $65,000 dollars
each in accordance with the SCAMMED VICTIM/REF/PAYMENTS CODE:
UN/06654/TYSD
 
1) Your full name and residential address
2) Your direct phone number
3) Your file reference number:
4) Your nominated account details where your funds will be transferred into   ?
 
 
Anticipating your swift response and congratulations in advance
 
 
Yours Faithfully,
Mr, Olumide Ajayi

Anti-fraud resources: