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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: "F.B.I OFFICE" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <fbicrm10@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 1 Nov 2013 02:48:55 -0400
Subject: FUND TRANSFER UPDATE

There is Pending Transfer of US$10.5Million is waiting for certification before it can fully released into your bank account, in order to released this US10.5million in your favor FBI and NSA require FUND TRANSFER PERMIT CLEARANCE Certificate to enable the authority certified the fund you are about to receive from USA BANK, we need this TRANSFER PERMIT CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE to release the payment, should in case you do not have the documents in your possession, contact FBI immediately to direct you where you will obtain this FUND Clearance CERTIFICATE is only Clearance CERTIFICATE needed to released the US$10.5M in your favor.

Thanks

James B. Comey
For: F.B.I

Anti-fraud resources: