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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: Union Western <western_ub@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Tue, 5 Jul 2011 02:18:55 +0800 (HKT)
Subject: Re: PAYMENT SENT Status : Available for pick up by receiver


Attention Beneficiary,
 
I write to let you know that $7000 has been sent to you but the $7000.00 is under the system of on hold. For the reason that you are required to pay for the Renewal of your File payment of the $7000.00usd which is $92.00 Being a Director General I have used my influence to send your first payment of $7000.00usd but it placed on hold due to the transfer charge has not been paid.
 
This payment has been made this Morning so you are required as a matter of urgency to send the Renewal File payment of $92.00 so that the $7000.00usd being sent to you will be available in any Western Union Office in your Country and you will it pick up immediately. Please I will like you to call me as soon as you receive this e-mail today.Therefore you advised to send the required fee with this Name Ani Peter and send the payment information to us immediately, Moreover we can not do without confirmation letter from you included your  Renewal of your File payment Fee. According to the Director of Ministry of Finance stated that such huge amount cannot be release with out “Renewal of your File payment" to show that you are the real beneficially. 
 
However I have used my influence to send your first payment worth of $7000.00 Dollars with the information below. So go straight to our home page (www.westernunion.com) paste it in a window wait for it to come out then click tracking, you will see where to put the MTCN# NUMBER and the first sender name Ani and the last sender name Peter click don then you will see the $7000 is available to pick up by receiver which is you but you can not pick it up because of the $92.00 for the Renewal of your File payment Fee.
 
Here is the payment information you will use to pick up your first of $7000.00
SENDER NAME.........Ani Peter
MTCN.......................... 9081826184
TEST QUESTION........Code?
ANSWER....................00229.
 
The reason why we need you to send us the $92.00 is that you will pay the transfer code of your fund beforeyour first payment will be available in you Country and you will definitely pick it up once you send the required fee and we tried to deduct the fee out from your fund but the Minister Administrator Trust Fund of Benin Republic told us that no one has access over your fund deduct until it gets to you, to avoid any misunderstanding because if any one has access to that it will involve you loosing your fund. Thus I must advise you to try your possible best and send the $92.00 today so that your first payment of $7000.00 will be available in any western union money transfer office in your Country immediately.
 
Here is the information on how you will send the transfer charge and the money will be send via Western Union Money Transfer or Money Gram.
 
Receiver Name,,,,,,,,,,,SAM CHIKA
Country,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Benin Republic
City/Address,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Cotonu
Text Question,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Urgent
Answer,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Urgent
Amount,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,$95
 
However, kindly contact the below person who is in position to release your payment to you by Western Union and send the $95 to him so that your payment of $7000.00 will be released to you within 2hrs.
 
Contact person,
Mr. Chirs Kato
Tel:+229 9889244
Email Address: (westernunion13699@yahoo.fr)
 
Remember to send the payment information such as MTCN# and the sender name as soon as you send the $95.00usd or you can call me with this number +229 9889244 so that he will have the information of the payment.
 
Best Regards
Mr Philip Agu
Minister of Finance
Benin Du Republic.

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