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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: enquriescustomer@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 20 Feb 2016 05:49:02 +0800
Subject: Your paid $5,000,000.00USD has been released.

Hello Dear customer,

NOTE: If you received this message in your SPAM/BULK folder, that is because
of the restrictions implemented by your Internet Service Provider, we urge you
to treat it genuinely.

On behalf of the management of entire Western Union Office in West Africa
including Federal Republic of Nigeria and Benin, i write to inform you that
after the general meeting held on January, we concluded with the federal
authority that your funds will no longer be transferred through western union
means of sending money worldwide. This issue was investigated and addressed by
the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Governing Board of Central
Bank because of the unnecessary delay of your payment. It was further noticed
that your funds has been unnecessarily delayed by corrupt officials of some
banks and other government officials as well as some Western Union agents in
those countries. Currently your payment has been recommended and approved by
the federal authority that an official ATM card will be delivered to you
within 72 hours.

We therefore agreed with the federal authority that your total fund of five
million United States Dollars ($5,000,000.00USD) will be uploading in office
ATM card because it will also take much time to transfer such huge amount by
western union. This led to the agreement that you will be sent an ATM card
with the value of five million United States Dollars ($5,000,000.00USD). It
will also put a stop on hopeless situation created by those officials who
claimed to be in charge of your funds. Your fund is now credited in ATM card
in your favor and deactivated for security reasons.


The federal authority in their view to making the delivery of your ATM
successful, appointed UBA BANK GROUP ATM director Mr.Thomas Sears to take
charge of the transaction. He is the only director in charge of your funds
now, you are advised now to stop any further communication with other offices
including western union and money gram. Western Union is no longer in charge
of your funds, if you receive any mail telling you to contact western union,
kindly know that it's a fake and it will be treated as fraud mail. They also
ordered some secret security to monitor the director until you receive your
ATM card and withdraw all your funds.Note/ to forward him your full details
such as.

1,Your Full Name:.....................
2,Your Complete Address: ...............
3,Direct Telephone Number:.............

Contact Mr. Thomas Sears now at (customerrcaree@gmail.com) office line:
+23470-3130 8017. Call him immediately you emailed him for urgent response on
what to do next.

Signed.

Mrs.Peggy Copper
Management of Western Union West Africa

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