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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: "info@westernunion.org" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <wu.org.z@outlook.com>
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 2015 12:16:02 -0400
Subject: Alert:::instant payment

WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER
Welcome to Western Union Send Money Worldwide
FOREIGN CONTRACTOR PAYMENT OFFICE
Contact Email: wu.org.z@outlook.com
 
Attention: 
 
After our official verification perusal we have obtain facts that you are the bonafide beneficiary of the fund twenty thousand united state dollars deposited in our office by the  ministry of finance of the federal republic of Nigeria through fund vault KTU/9023118308/03 from United Nation, since this fund was given by the Paris Club International on your name we never heard from you till now,
we want to use this opportunity to congratulate you once again for this immensely donation given to you by the Paris Club International
Please you are advise to go through this e-mail carefully and make sure you understand and comply with the contents before replying. We are instructed by Federal Government of Nigeria to transfer your fund to you via our installment transfer through our service (Western Union Money Transfer) so you will be receiving $2,000.00 USD daily until the successful installment transfer of your total fund of Twenty Thousand United State Dollars.
Mean while you are required to send us the re-new payment file which is $75 USD for the $2000 that we have already transferred to your name but cannot be pick because it was place on hold by the management.  Reason, because we intend to deduct  the transferring fee out from your total fund but the Financial Trust Fund Committee of Nigerian Republic proof in accordance to United Nation financial edits of 1990 as related to international fund transfer policy as agreed with Western Union acts that no one has right over your fund as it have been signed and stamped that no money should be deducted from your fund until it all gets to you to avoid any Mal-practice in making accessive deduction from your fund, be informed that if the policy is not observe it might  involve corruption which in other words might lead you loosing your fund, therefore take note that we cannot deduct your transfer fees from your fund.
 
Here is the information of the one we sent today to you but it will remain on hold until your payment file re-new before we can release the first $2,000 to you.
 
Senders Frist Name:....................... Winnie
Senders last Name:...................... Holn
Mtcn:.......................7528056658
Transfer Status: (Available for pick up by receiver.)
Amount:....................... .$2000.00 USD
Therefore, copy the name below and go straight and send our official re-new payment file of $75 USD to enable us proceed on your payment release immediately, below is the information of our account officer which you will use to remit the $575usd via Western Union Money Transfer been our re-new payment file for your $5,000.00 usd.
Receiver name:........Kevin Okafor
address/Country:..................Lagos, Nigeria
Test question:..........In God
Test answer:............We Trust.
Amount:..................$75 USD
Your urgent respond is highly needed to enable us to release your first transferred $2,000 within an hour, include your telephone number as you reply with your payment MTCN for the transfer fees. We hereby issued you our code of conduct, which is (WUMT-824) so you have to indicate this code when contacting as your subject.
 
Await your response.
Regards
Mr. Harry Mark
Forign Operation Manager
Western Union Lagotes Pala

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