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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Solicitor. Williams F. Watson" <internationalfinancialoffice5@gmail.com>
Reply-To: internationalfinancialoffice1@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 5 May 2015 21:28:01 +0100
Subject: THE NOTIFICATION OF YOUR RECOVERED FUNDS!!!.

European Union Fund Recovery Attorneys
External Affairs Department of UN/EU
Incorporation # 98621-0074
7b the high street, Tadworth, Surrey, kt20 5sd,
Belgium, Louzalaan 149b-1050 Brussels.
Our Ref #: FRA-EU/UN03-PED/15.

File No: 44/98GT/UB/OT22/15.

Dear Lucky Beneficiary,

Re: Notification of Your Withheld Funds Now Recovered:
I am the Director, International Affairs in the United Nations and
European Union Fund Recovery Office London, United Kingdom. Recently,
the United Nations and European Union has received succession of
complains in the existence of huge sums of money that are trapped and
left unclaimed in most African Banks, Europe and Financial
institutions around the world especially in Africa, the European Union
External Affairs Department was mandated by the United Nation and
European Union to investigate and recover all funds belonging to
citizens of the following countries, Europeans, Asians, United States,
Pacific Region and Australian Nationals that are trapped in African
banks, finance houses and other related banks in the world and remit
back the recovered funds to the real owners through their approved /
appointed banks or Clearing Houses.

On our investigation, we discovered a file no: 44/98GT/UB/OT22/15,
with the total sum of Thirty Five Million, Five Hundred Thousand
United States Dollars only with your name as the beneficiary but has a
different account particulars and names on it, It was further
discovered that some mischievous officers of the banks/top Government
functionaries conspired to fraudulently divert your funds until we
intervene and recover this money, my office has fully recovered this
money and we want you to receive it without any waste of time while we
further continue our investigation to get those fraudulent officials
who were involved in diverting innocent beneficiary's funds arrested.
However because of the problems associated with African Banks, we have
decided that all recovered funds will be paid to beneficiaries through
this payment channels Bank to Bank Transfer, or Cash Delivery System.

Finally, we have secretly concluded an arrangement with Top Banks/
Clearing Houses under the UN/EU payment Center to pay these Recovered
Funds to you, this is sequel to empowerment given to us by the United
Nations as your representative counsel to ensure that your payment is
release to you in due course. Once we hear from you confirming your
Ready, Willing, Able (R. W. A), to receive your funds, we shall
require the below information’s from you to enable us apply for the
transmission certification as an accredited counselor to you, thank
you.

1). Your complete names
2). Your Contact/Residing Address
3). Your Direct Mobile/Telephone Number
4). A copy of your Identification photograph.

Thanks for your understanding and God Bless.

Thanks,
Yours faithfully,
Solicitor. Williams F. Watson.

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