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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: "UNITED NATIONS LIAISON OFFICE" <theresalewis@un.org>
Reply-To: theresalewis5714@usa.com
Date: Wed, 06 Jan 2016 18:45:29 +0100
Subject: Payment Confirmation

INTERNATIONAL FUNDS AUDIT UNIT
UNITED NATIONS LIAISON OFFICE NEW-YORK, USA
870 UNITED NATIONS PLAZA 20-A NEW YORK NY 10017
OUR REF: US/NF/UN/XX2015

US$ 4.5MILLION APPROVED BY UNITED NATIONS

Attention Beneficiary,

We write to inform you of the decisions taken after the Series of meetings held over the past 2weeks with the Secretary General of the United Nations Organization, International Community Board and U.S Department of State and Africa Union Organization which ended last week. During the meetings, this organization discovered that you have not received your funds due to past corrupt Governmental Officials who almost held the fund to themselves for their selfish reasons and some individuals who have taken advantage of your funds all in an attempt to swindle your funds which has led to so many losses from your end and unnecessary delay in the receipt of your funds.

The International Community Board Committee working with the United Nations/ U.S Department of State and Africa Union Organization have successfully passed a payment mandate release order to the Bank to clear all over due Contract funds, Lottery winnings and Inheritance funds owed to you and other individuals and organizations who have been found not to have receive their funds. Note that your payment file submitted to the Bank in question is 4.5Million U.S Dollars.

In order to know you are ready to receive your approved funds, you are strictly advice to furnish us with the below information for us to cross check with the details in our payment file if all is correct and in order, and after all verification, we will then direct you on how to contact the Bank for your immediate payment.

1. Your Full Name:
2. Address:
3. Home/Cell Phone:
4. Age and Marital Status:
5. Occupation:
6. Photo Identification (scanned Int'l Passport/Driver License):

We are awaiting your urgent response to this email to enable us monitor this payment effectively.

Yours faithfully

Mrs. Theresa Lewis

Assistant Secretary United Nation

Anti-fraud resources: