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: "james williams" <jameswilliams1939@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: stevenyoung1@blida.info
Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2007 23:01:30 -0900
Subject: IRREVOCABLE RELEASE OF YOUR PAYMENT

            
  UNITED NATIONS  
 (WORLD BANK ASSISTED PROGRAMME)
DIRECTORATE OF INTERNATIONAL PAYMENT AND TRANSFER.
                              870 UNITED NATIONS PLAZA 20-A
                              NEW YORK NY 10017
                              WIRE TRANSFER/AUDIT UNIT
                              Our Ref: WB/NF/UN/XX027
                              Swift Code: BPH KPL PK,
DEC 24  2007
 
ATTN:   (SOLE BENEFICIARY),
 
RE: IRREVOCABLE RELEASE OF YOUR PAYMENT
 
We have actually been authorized by the presidency, Republic of Nigeria and the governing board of central bank of Nigeria to investigate the necessary delay of your payment, Recommended and approve your claims
for payment if certified as genuine.
 
 During the course of our investigation, we discovered with dismay that your payment has been unnecessarily Delayed by corrupt officials of the Bank who are Trying to divert your money into their private accounts, to forestall this, security y for your funds Was organized in the form of your personal Identification number (PIN) and your transfer access code (T.A.C), This will enable only you have direct Control over this fund, we have also agreed with the Presidency that we will handle this payment ourselves to avoid the hopeless situation created by the Officials of the central bank of Nigeria We obtained an irrevocable payment guarantee on your Payment from the
presidency we are happy to inform you that based on our commendation/instructions; your Entire Inheritances fund has been credited in your favour through our overseas paying bank.
 
You are therefore advice to contact REV STEVEN YOUNG International Audit unit, United Nations Liaison Office Abuja Nigeria on EMAIL:stevenyoung7@myway.com   stevenyoung1@blida.info   phone: 234-01-2640-646 to collect your original payment slip with your pin and transfer access code. As soon as you submit these codes and your payment slip to your bank they will credit your account without delay.
 
NOTE: YOU ARE ADVICED TO FURNISH REV YOUNG WITH YOUR CORRECT CONTACT AND BANKING DETAILS TO AVOID TRANSFER OF THIS
FUND INTO A WRONG ACCOUNT.

We expect your urgent response to this email to enable
us monitor this payment effectively..
 
CONGRATULATIONS.
                                                                                                 
                                       
CAPT. JAMES C. WILLIAMS  
UNITED NATIONS NEW YORK


Laugh, share and connect with Windows Live Messenger

Anti-fraud resources: