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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: "James W Walter" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <jameswalter@barid.com>
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 2015 02:58:55 -0700
Subject: UNITED NATIONS OFFICIAL NOTICE:

UNITED NATIONS
OFFICE OF INTERNAL OVERSIGHT SERVICES
Internal Audit, Monitoring, Consulting.
ABUJA NIGERIA.
 
From: Dr. James W Walter.
 
Re: Approved Payment Valued US$10.5M in Your Favour.
 
This is to inform you that I came to Nigeria yesterday from united States,
after series of complaint from the FBI, and other Security agencies from
Asia,Europe, South America and the United States of America respectively,
against the Federal Government of Nigeria and the British Government for
the rate of scam activities going on in these two nations.
 
Right now, as directed by United Nations secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, we
are working in collaborations with the Nigerian Financial Crime Commission
(EFCC) and FBI, we have decided to waive away all your clearance
fees/Charges and authorized the Government of Nigeria to effect your
overdue payment worth $10,500,000.00 USD only into your account without
further delay as approved and instructed by the Department of States and
UNITED NATIONS.
 
But the only fee you will pay to receive your fund is the
NOTARIZATION CLEARANCE FEE. Upon your request, I will tell you the Amount
and also send you the payment information you will use in sending the
Notarization Clearance fee.
 
Sincerely, you are a lucky person because I have just discovered that some
top Nigerian Government Officials are interested in your fund and they are
working in collaboration with One Mr. Richard Graves from USA to frustrate
you and thereafter divert your fund into their personal account.
 
You can as well send your payment information
(1) Your Valid Direct Tel/ Mobile/Fax Number.
(2) Your Full Name:
(3) Current Resident Address.
(4) Your Private E-mail Address.
(5) Your Occupation:
(6) Your Age and Sex:
(7) Driving licence or your passport copy or your working id card:
(8) Your Next of Kin:
(9) Your Bank Details, where you want the fund to be wired. Such as Bank
Name, Bank Address: Routing Number, Bank Swift Code and Bank Telephone
Number.
 
All these information are needed for a successfully wire transfer of the
fund to you.I have a very limited time to stay in Nigeria, so I would
like you to urgently respond to this message so that I can advise you on
how best to receive your fund within the next 72 hours. Once again, the
only fee you will pay to receive your fund is the Notarization fee. Upon
your request, I will tell you the amount and also send you the payment
information you will use in sending the Notarization Clearance fee.
 
We need your maximum co-operation to effect your payment within 72 banking
hours
.
Please call us on our direct Telephone Number or E-mail immediately you
received this message for more advise.
Urgent Compliance is to your advantage.
 
Sincerely yours,
Dr. James W Walter
United Nations Under-Secretary-
General for Internal Oversight
OUR CODE UN800FG
 

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