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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 John Williams" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <info_dhl_couriercompany@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 2015 14:42:52 -0700
Subject: RE

Desk of Rev John Williams
Head office 52 Mafoluku Way
Ajawo Estate
Lagos Nigeria
 
 
                           Hello Consignment Owner,
 
I am Rev John Williams , Director Inspection Unit in Dhl Courier company Lagos Nigeria During our recent with held
package routine check at the Airport Storage Vault, we had discovered an abandoned shipment we discovered that there is an ATM Card which was left by one Mr. Raymond Florig whom was a staff of United Bank for Africa (UBA) in our office here in Lagos Nigeria, under our shipping care which was to be forwarded to you from that Raymond Florig in our facility custody here
in our DHL office here in Nigeria which we scanned, and it revealed an undisclosed sum of money in in an ATM Master Card weighing approximately 12kg.
 
The ATM Master Card that  was abandoned worth the sum of $2.5 Million and this Money was declared as personal effect to avoid diversion by the Shipping Agent and also the inability of the diplomat to pay for the United States Non Inspection Charges, On my assumption, the ATM Master Card which contains sum of $2.8 Million and the ATM Master Card is still in our
Storage House here in our office at Lagos Nigeria till today.
 
However; you should be informed that the ATM Master Card is inside a Brown Envelope with your name on it which the weight of about 12kg (Internal dimension: W61 x H156 x D73 (cm). Effective capacity: 180 L.) Approximately, the detail of the consignment including your info below.
 
 
Name
Address
Phone Number
Scan Copy ID Card
Country
 
 
we will issue you an Official document from the United Nations in USA Where the $2.8m was forwarded from USA. Please note that this ATM Master Card is supposed to returned to the United States Treasury Department as unclaimed delivery due to your delays in contacting us with (Custom Clearance Certificate / diplomatic immunity) from the origin of the Country here in Nigeria ,BOTH CERTIFICATES WILL COST YOU THE SUM OF $295.00 USD TO OBTAIN, So as a matter of urgent.
 
you are hereby advised to pick up below information and send the cost amount mention for the Custom Clearance Certificate and
diplomatic immunity fee of $295 usd. to our Inspection Agent in Republic of Nigeria to obtain the 2 documents from the Federal High Court of justice,
 
HERE IS THE INFORMATION WHERE TO SEND HIM THE $395 USD TODAY,
 
(1) RECEIVER NAME----Obasi Innocent
(2) COUNTRY----------Nigeria
(3) CITY-------------Lagos
(4) TEXT QUESTION----URGENT
(5) TEXT ANSWER------TODAY
(6)AMOUNT-----------$295.00 US
(7) MTCN-------------
(8) SENDERS NAME-----
 
I am waiting to hear from you urgently with the required fee if you
are interested in receiving your fund
 
Thank you very much and we await for your quick action.
 
Rev John Williams

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