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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: "Rev.Joseph Godwin" <fayahzaini4@gmail.com>
Reply-To: "Rev.Joseph Godwin" <tnt-fastcourier@yandex.com>
Date: Thu, 21 May 2015 00:28:53 +0900 (JST)
Subject: =?utf-8?B?WU9V4oCZUkUgUkVGOiBDTEFJTVMvQVRNLzcwOQ==?=

YOU’RE REF: CLAIMS/ATM/709
This is Rev,Father Joesph Godwin based in
INDIA
ST FRANCIS CHURCH GOA, I therefore officially inform you that your (ATM
Card Number 506119102227445160) which has been with me for far too long
which you were supposed to refund me the money i paid to the BRITISH
HIGH COMMISSION and have me mail to you before this moment. Your
Personal Identification Number is 201.
 
I have been waiting for
you since to contact me for your loaded ATM CARD of $3.5 million United
States Dollars after the conclusion to pay you through ATM VISA CARD.
However, you can withdraw in an ATM MACHINE in any part of the world and
the maximum you can withdraw a day is $5000,but I did not hear from you
since then ,Then I went and deposited the package ATM CARD with TNT
Express Courier company ,India Republic as I traveled out of the country
for a short Course and I will not come back till end December 2015.What
you have to do now is to contact the TNT Express Courier Security
company as soon as possible to know when they will deliver your package
to you because of the expiring date.
 
For your information, I
have paid for the delivering charges, and Clearance Certificate Fee of
the ATM CARD showing that it is not a Drug Money nor to sponsor
Terrorist attack in your Country, The only money you will send to the
Courier company to deliver your ATM CARD direct to your postal Address
in your country is $85 Only being their Security Keeping Fees of the TNT
Courier Company so far.

Anti-fraud resources: