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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Walter Smith" <walter_smith18walterwalter@aol.fr>
Reply-To: waltersmith177@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2014 14:52:14 +0100
Subject: Attn: Consignee,


- This mail is in HTML. Some elements may be ommited in plain text. -

Foreign Reserve Department,
10 Downing Street,
London, SW1A 2AA
London UK.
TEL: 44 705 383 1885
Attn: Consignee,
Thanks a lot for your email your details were well received, Please note that because of the so called internet hackers it will be difficult to release the approved $10.7million via bank to bank wire transfer as such for security reasons we resorted to converting your payment through "CASH DELIVERY" And we have an agreement with a courier agent that have accepted in principles to move the fund to America so the cash will be sealed, packaged in a consignment and it will delivered directly to your designated address.
Thus because of the volume of fund that is involved and for obvious security reasons we will not even allow the courier agent to know the content in the box as such we will declare the content as family treasure/valuables
Please let me hear from you so that i can forward your information to the courier agent that will enable him program your details in his computer data base for the delivery and an airway bill shipment document will be issued in your name which will be a proof that you are the bonafide beneficiary of the consignment/fund upon your face to face meeting with the courier agent in America.
PLEASE TREAT AS URGENT
Walter Smith
Foreign Debt Settlement Committee, UK
TEL: 44 705 383 1885

Anti-fraud resources: