joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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: "W. S. H. Laidlaw" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <shlaidlaw@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 11 Feb 2014 07:45:34 -0500
Subject: Join Me

Dear Friend,

I am Mr. W S H Laidlaw, Chief Executive Officer of Centrica plc, Director HSBC and A member of the Remuneration Committee, United Kingdom. I am contacting you with regards to a discreet and somewhat sensitive business asset available to my knowledge by virtue of my position.

However,this deal will be executed under a legitimate arrangement, I will furnish you with further exclusive confidential details once I receive your affirmatory response

Note: You are to respond to my private email: shlaidlaw@gmail.com

Sincerely,
W. S. H. Laidlaw.
>From the Asset Management Department
07948287901

Anti-fraud resources: