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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: wewb bb <webvvcsswww2@outlook.com>
Reply-To: <joholmes500@outlook.com>
Date: Thu, 30 Apr 2015 16:44:06 +0000
Subject: Un. Payment.


My name is John Holmes, an Officer with the United Nations Department of International Financial Surveillance and Control.. Our duty is to monitor transfer requests, inflow and outflow of fund in all member states of United Nation. I am writing in respect to a recent email communications from Mr. Michael Petrie who claim to be your representative and sent to Nedbank Foreign Payment Division , South Africa the following Bank account information for wire transfer of Ten Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars Only. The account information which he submitted to the Bank is below.
Name : Mr. Michael E.PetrieBank Name : Scotia BankBank Address : 200 Garrison Road, Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada Account Number # : 270520328324 Swift Code : NOSCCATT
Please, Do reconfirm to us as a matter of urgency if this account Holder is from you and did you authorized him to receive your fund. If he is not your representative, You are requested to fill the short questionnaire and send this information for confirmation purpose, so that your fund valued at $10.5 million united state dollars will be paid to you without further delay. This department in the United Nation office has the legal capacity to force the payment of your fund on any country or establishment withholding your fund. I use my personal email in this first communication in order to maintain the utmost confidentiality and security.
Send below details for Re-confirmation.
1. YOUR FULL NAME....2. YOUR TELEPHONE......3. AGE...........4. SEX...............5. YOUR OCCUPATION......6. YOUR ADDRESS.........
However, we shall proceed and order Nedbank to pay Mr. Michael Petrie if we do not hear from you within the next seven working days from today.
YOURS SINCERELY,JOHN HOLMES,OFFICER IN CHARGE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL SURVEILLANCE AND CONTROL.

Anti-fraud resources: