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: "U.S DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <officialunboard@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 8 Sep 2016 07:07:26 -0300
Subject: Re: YOUR $850,000.00 US DOLLARS HAS BEEN APPROVED TO YOU.

I am Jacob J. Lew, Secretary of the Treasury under the U.S. Department of the Treasury. You can get more details about me here;
 
http://www.treasury.gov/about/Pages/Secretary.aspx
 
At the recently concluded meeting with the World Bank and the United Nations, an agreement was reached between both parties for us to settle all outstanding payments accrued to individuals/corporations with respect to local and overseas contract payment, debt re-scheduling and outstanding compensation payment. Fortunately, you have been selected alongside a few other beneficiaries to receive your own payment of $850,000 (Eight Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars only).
 
We have been notified that you are yet to receive your fund valued at $850,000.00 This money will now be transferred to your nominated bank account.
 
All you have to do now is to contact Attorney Harry Gregory, Jr to help you out with the necessary paper works to enable your Fund get release to you via Bank Transfer. Please note you are only paying just $350 dollars to him for the processing and the paper works.
 
You are advised to kindly reply this email with the below details enclosed to help us process your payment and also Attorney Harry Gregory, Jr on the below contact;
 
Name : Attorney Harry Gregory, Jr
Email: harrygjr005@yandex.com
Telephone: +1 850-391-6961
 
(1) Full Names:
(2) Residential Address:
(3) Country of Residence:
(4) Age:
(5) Phone/Cell Number:
(6) Occupation:
 
Note: You are only paying just $350 to Attorney Harry Gregory, Jr for the processing and the paper works for your fund release.
 
Yours faithfully,
 
Jacob J. Lew
Secretary of the Treasury
(U.S. Department of Treasury

Anti-fraud resources: