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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: "Chris Andy" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <chris.andy122@yahoo.es>
Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2013 21:47:32 +0100
Subject: Hello

Dear Friend,
 
I am Chris Andy, a computer scientist with central bank of Nigeria. I am 26 years old, just started working with C.B.N. I came across your fund payment file which was marked X and your release disk painted RED, I took time to study it and found out that you have paid VIRTUALLY all fees and certificates, but the fund has not been release to you. The most annoying thing is that the officials cannot tell you the truth that on no account will they ever release the fund to you, instead they let you spend money unnecessarily.
 
I do not intend to work here all my life and I can release this fund to you, if you can certify me of my security and how I can run away from Nigeria, after I release the fund to you, because if I don't run away from this country after I made the transfer to you, I will be seriously in trouble and my life will be in danger. Please this is like a Mafia setting in Nigeria; you may not understand it because you are not a Nigerian.
 
The only thing I will need to release this fund is a special TELEX HARD DISK (120 GIG). I will buy two of it, recopy your information, destroy the previous one, and punch the computer to reflect the fund in your bank within 24 banking hours. Upon confirmation of the fund payment in your bank account, I will clean up the tracer and destroy your file, after which I will run away from Nigeria to meet with you. If you are interested, do get in touch with me immediately, You should send to me your private telephone number for easy communications and also re-confirm your full names, your address and your banking details, so that there won't be any mistake.
 
For phone conversation, please call me
 
Regards,
Mr. Chris Andy
Computer Scientist
chris.andy122@yahoo.es

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