joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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: FBI Chief Division Counsel
Reply-To: <paulholstein08@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 9 Dec 2015 10:08:48 -0200
Subject: Investigation in Progress

FROM THE: Cyber ??Crimes for Federal Bureau of Investigation
WASHINGTON DC.


To whom it may concern,


This is to bring to your notice of our success in apprehending some notorious fraudsters who have been extorting money from innocent American's and other citizens of other nations whom by no chance have no knowledge about this ridiculous tragedy.
During the Process of interrogation, the Criminals Confessed your name Along with Other citizens from Different Locations who fell to this unimaginable scams as a Victim of their Circumstances.
Thus, we are making a direct contact with you to identify yourself as one of the victims mentioned by this fraudsters during interrogation. You may not be able to identify them facially as displayed on our FBI official website link: https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/cyber , this is because they disguise themselves with fake photos and none legit identification.

We have been able to recover $ 1.7 Million dollars from four local bank accounts and two Escrow accounts owned by one of the suspects from where they usually lodge the stolen funds which they have extorted from innocent people, including many more assets not listed on this mail. We are making it succinctly clear to you that Justice shall prevail, there statements and confessions have been recorded and documented, all we await is your reply to re-identify yourself as one of the victims before charging them to court. Send SMS message to the number before for immediately reply to your mail and remember to reconfirm your information for payment verification and approval to you or better still leave your Full names....Address....and Reachable Telephone Number so that we can reach you either by call or via SMS.


Chief Division Counsel:

Paul M. Holstein

FBI Albany
200 McCarty Avenue
Albany, NY 12209
Phone: (914) 559-2794
Fax: (914) 559-2794.
paulholstein08@gmail.com

Anti-fraud resources: