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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: "Peter Cummings" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <cmr.peter@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2015 02:50:02 -0800
Subject: HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015!!!

Good Day,

I wish to respectfully invite your attention to a meeting to carry out this business opportunity that I have in my office through my position as a director with the bank and go into investment, I sent a hard copy letter to your home address which returned undelivered via regular mailing. I make this contact to seek for your consent as I present you to act as the business partner to the deceased friend. The deceased make a deposit of Twenty-two Million, Six Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars with our bank in a private account for payment of Gold.

Upon your acceptance I will send you the evidence of the deposit and get other legal documents in your name as the legal partner, I will use my position office to approve the release order immediately in your name as soon as all documentation with the relevant authority here in the UK. It is legal as I assure you that this transaction will not for any reason break local or international law.

The business is secured 100% and being one of the directors and his financial adviser he gave me for safe keep the deposit document, We have to fix a meeting for one-to-one discussion before we can proceed on documentation. Details will be forwarded to you as soon as possible with gold value.

Best Regards
Peter Cummings

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