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: "Boakye Yaw" <westernunion.com@fdc.br>
Reply-To: petermcwealth1234@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 2009 07:44:43 -0300 (BRT)
Subject: urgent

I am Mr. Boakye Yaw, after the failure of your payment for reasons aligned
with the British government and other bodies, I was ordered from the
office of the Debt reconciliation committee to make your payment swiftly
via this medium, you will be receiving $10,000.00 USD every seven hours,
from the above control number till your payment is completed.

Based on the instruction passed to this Western Union department from the
office of the debt reconciliation office your total sum of $1 Million
Dollars can only be paid through this Western Union Money Transfer
Department of the United Kingdom, this is to help us check-mate all the
Fraudulent activities going on here in Europe and the rest of the world at
large. You shall be paid bit by bit until your total sum is completely
received and paid at the Counter of any Western Union in your country.

After a meeting that was held in our office in regards to this, we have
agreed to pay you a total of $10,000.00 USD in every Seven Hours (7 hrs)
until the funds is completely paid as agreed in today's meeting. Below is
the Money Control Number (MTCN):9543256981. For verification Kindly call
our International service number +18003256000 or 8003256000 and follow the
voice prompt,then insert the control number above to hear the availability
of your funds ready for pick up,or visit our official web site
www.westernunion.com ,find TRACKING on the top right of the site page,and
kindly insert accordingly this detail Albert King and 621 811 1813
following the instructions bellow.

Money Transfer Control Number: 9543256981
Sender First Name: Boakye
Sender Last Name: Yaw
CLICK ON CHECK STATUS

I request that you send to me your full receiving names and address for
your payment and an activation fee of $550 is required only for your names
and western union account to be activated to the officer in charge at the
counter here in the U.K as you make the payment we shall activate the
names you have given us to enable you receive your first installment
payment of $10,000.00 USD accordingly, this control number(9543256981 )
should be kept total secret for your own security, to avoid any further
problems which you have experienced in the past, You are to activate your
name today to start receiving your funds.

You can mail me via this secured address:

Congratulation in Advance.

Mr. Boakye Yaw
Western Union Director

Anti-fraud resources: