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: "DOUGLAS RICHARD" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <douglasrichard9200@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 13 Apr 2018 21:27:42 +0200
Subject: FUND TRANSFER.REPLY

DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY DIRECT ACCOUNT
 
 
IMMEDIATE PAYMENT NOTIFICATION VALUED AT (US$20.5 MILLION)
 
It is my modest obligation to write you this letter in regards to the authorization of your owned payment through our most trusted financial institution Department of Treasury Direct Account (DOTDA)
 
This is to inform you that your sum of Twenty Million five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (US$20.5M) Compensation Commission payment has been approved from Department of Treasury Direct Account Washington, D.C and World Bank to release to you through bank to bank wire transfer or ATM Master Card immediately you provide your full information to enable me start processing your transaction documents immediately.
 
Please kindly re-confirm the following information below:
 
1) Your full Name:
2) Your Full Address:
3) Phones, Fax and Mobile No:
4) Profession, Age and Marital Status:
5) Copy of any valid form of your Identification:
6) Your banking details where you want Director of Telex and Wire Department to transfer your approved fund.
 
I will be looking forward to hear from you.
 
Yours Faithfully,
 
DR. DOUGLAS RICHARD,
DIRECTOR OF ACCOUNTANT

Anti-fraud resources: