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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: "FBI ACTING DIRECTOR" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <fbidirector94@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 24 Aug 2017 21:31:07 +0100
Subject: FBI HEADQUARTERS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

ANTI-TERRORIST AND MONETARY CRIMES DIVISION
FBI HEADQUARTERS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
J. EDGAR HOOVER BUILDING
935 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, NW
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20535-0001
 
 
 
 
This is to officially inform you that it has come to our notice and we
have thoroughly completed an investigation with the help of our
Intelligence Monitoring Network System that your e-mail address was among
the email that won this year UK National lottery award which you did not
claim, we want to let you know that one of the bank worker where your fund
was deposited arrange with his friend to come as the owner of the e-mail
that won the prize which they claim your fund, but now your fund has been
recovered from them and the people that claim your fund has been arrested.
If you receive any e-mail that you did not understand that is from unknown
person to you please do forward it to us to verify and bring the person to
justice.
 
 
We have gone through your Identification record and we have verified a lot
of things about you. It has come to the attention of our Money Trafficking
investigation department, that you have some funds valued $800,000.00 USD
on your name, The said payment is awaiting adjudication and we have
authorized this winning to be paid to you, this funds are from UK NATIONAL
LOTTERY.
 
 
(1) Your full names
(2) Residential Address:
(3) Phone, Fax and Cell Phone:
(4) Profession, Age and Marital Status
(5) Company/Business Name:
(6) Your Private Email Address(If any):
Same as above
 
 
AWAITS YOUR IMMEDIATE RESPONSE
 
 
Director Andrew McCabe
FBI ACTING DIRECTOR
PUBLIC AFFAIRS

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