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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: "Mr. Chris Hawkins" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <chrishawkins044@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2018 08:58:00 -0800
Subject: From Western Union Financial Services Company

The Western Union Financial Services Company (WUFSC)
Mr. Christopher Hawkins.
Payment Operations & Financial Consultant.
Englewood, Colorado, United States
Official Email:  payment@agency-westernunion.com
Private Email:  chrishawkins044@gmail.com
 
Ref: H.M.R.C-UK/BARCGB22/ZBIPLC/JMD/03PU70018.
 
 
Attention! Attention!! Attention!!!
 
Dear Sir-Madam,
 
 
This is to inform you that we have today the 1st of March, 2018 sent you the first sum of Four Thousand, Eight Hundred United States Dollars (USD 4,800.00) through Western Union as we have been given the mandate to transfer your full Inheritance Compensation fund via Western Union and Money Gram by the United Nations Peace Corps (UNPC).
 
Also a Barclays Bank Debit Master Card of Fifty Thousand United States Dollars Only (USD50, 000.00) with Card Number: 5310 0031 1170 0098 has been issued out to be dispatched to your designated address.
 
We have therefore been instructed to email you with the payment information which include an MTCN (Money Transfer Control Number) and Sender's Name, so that you can pick up your First Payment of Four Thousand, Eight Hundred United States Dollars (USD 4,800.00) to enable us send the second and third payments respectively, as you know we shall be this very Four Thousand, Eight Hundred United States Dollars (USD 4,800.00) per day.
 
Please copy this payment information below and go to any Western Union location close to you in other to receive this payment and kindly get back to us to send you another second batch payment by tomorrow.
 
Sender's First Name: James
Sender's Last Name: Inok
MTCN Number: 6582479520
Amount: $4,800.00
Test Question: UNPC?
Test Answer: COMPENSATION!
 
 
Email this office as soon as you have collected this payment or you can also track your payment Online by login to www.westernunion.com and our official email is as follows: payment@agency-westernunion.com
 
Best Regards.
 
Mr. Chris Hawkins.
Payment Operations.
Official Email: payment@agency-westernunion.com
 

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