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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: "NATWEST BANK PLC. LONDON ENGLAND" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <natwstbnkonline@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 10 Dec 2014 03:47:49 +0330
Subject: PAYMENT NOTIFICATION

From the desk of,
Mr. Martins Hughes,
Director foreign Operation Dept.
NatWest Bank Plc. London-England,
 
 
 
 
Attn; Certified Beneficiary,
 
We have actually been authorized by the United Nation secretary general, and the governing body of the UNITED NATIONS Monetary Unit, to investigate the reasons for the unnecessary delay on your funds payment, which was recommended and approved in your favor. During the course of our investigation, we discovered with dismay that your payment has been unnecessarily Delayed by some corrupt officials of the Banks who are trying to divert your funds into their private accounts for their personal use.
 
It will interest you to know that we have discovered an unpaid sum of US$10. 5 million Dollars in your favor and an irrevocable payment guarantee has been issued by the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in your favor for the payment. However, we are happy to inform you that based on our recommendation/Instructions; your complete funds have been approved and would be credited in your favor through Telegraphic banking system. You are therefore advice to contact us immediately with your information as required below:
 
1. Your Full Names:
2. Occupation:
3. Telephone Numbers:
4. Your residential address:
 
As soon as you establish a contact with us, we will process and effect the release and transfer your fund into your bank account without delay, hence the World Bank has issued us an irrevocable payment guarantee to this effect.
 
NOTE: The amount to be paid to you is ($10,500,000.00) Ten Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars. So do respond immediately and provide the above required information for our confirmation and record purposes.
 
Congratulations for being among the enlisted beneficiary to receive it's payment in this exercise,
 
Thanks in anticipation of your co-operation,
 
Mr. Martin Hughes,
Director Foreign Operation Department,
NatWest Bank PLC, London-England.

Anti-fraud resources: