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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: "howcroft david" <hawcroftdavid@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: hawcroftdavid@myway.com
Date: Thu, 14 Sep 2006 11:37:37 +0000
Subject: VICTIMS FUND

I am Mr. Hawcroft David Cyril of the united nations, I worked in the united nations office in Australia for years and I have now been transferred to Nigeria to help build up a new United Nations office to resolve conflicts in the Niger-Delta , an oil producing region in Nigeria. On my arrival to Nigeria in the month of July,2006, the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC),Nigeria’s organ for combating cyber-crime and forgery, approached my office and handed down the sum of $32 million ,total sum of money the commission have recovered from internet scammers in Nigeria over the past six months.
 
Most of the victims of this crime according to their report were citizens of United States, Great Britain, Australia, most part of Europe and Asia.
 
We have been debriefed by the Commission to commence the distribution of these funds to citizens of these countries that have been victimized by these scam artist as a way of reducing this crime in Nigeria as it was creating a bad image for the Nigerian Government and a fund has been set up for this purpose.
Consequently we are looking for genuine and honest citizens of these countries who may have fallen prey to these criminals to come forward with convincing evidence and proof of their claim to determine whether they may have fallen victim before in order to be short listed for the distribution of these funds.
You may reach me through my private contact box : hawcroftdavid@myway.com
My best personal regards.
Sincerely,
Hawcroft David Cyril.


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