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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: EFCC FRAUD MONITORING UNIT <admin@efccnigeria.org>
Reply-To: western.union@administrativos.com
Date: Thu, 07 Apr 2011 16:08:37 +0800
Subject: EFCC INVESTIGATION (ABORT ALL =?utf-8?b?VFJBTlNBQ1RJT05TKeKAjw==?=



Attention,

After proper and several investigations and research at Western Union and
MoneyGram Office, we found your name in Western Union database amongst those
that have sent money through Western Union to Nigeria and this proves that you
have truly been swindled by those unscrupulous persons by sending
money to them
through Western Union/MoneyGram in the course of getting one fund or the other
that is not real, right now we are working hand in hand with Western Union to
track every fraudsters down, do not respond to their e-mails, letters
and phone
calls any longer as they are scammers and you should be very careful to avoid
being a victim to fraudsters any longer because they have nothing to offer you
but to rip-off what you have worked earnestly hard to earn.

In this regard a meeting was held between the Board of Directors of
The Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside with the Ministry of
Finance -
Nigeria and as a consequence of our investigations it was agreed that
the sum of
sixty thousand US Dollars (US$60,000.00) should be transferred to you
out of the
funds that Federal Government of Nigeria has set aside as a compensation to
everyone who have by one way or the other sent money to fraudsters in Nigeria.

***Please note that we will no longer be liable for any loss, cost or expense
whatsoever, suffered or incurred by You in connection with the fraudsters.

Be warned!
We have deposited your fund at Western Union Money Transfer agent location EMS
Post office Lagos, Nigeria.

We have submitted your details to them so that your fund can be transferred to
you. We have paid the Registration and Transfer fees and for security
reasons we
have also insured your fund to avoid misappropriation.

Contact the Western Union agent office through any of the email
addresses stated
below;

Contact Person: Carson Green
Contact Email : western.union@administrativos.com
Contact Phone : +234-709-447-7929


Yours sincerely,

James Dobson,

Investigation Officer.

********************************************************************************
**********************************
Please note that e-mails, letters and phone calls are currently been made to
unsuspecting persons by fraudsters claiming to have access to their funds.
Everyday, people throughout the world are falling victim to scams of
one way or
the other. It could be an unexpected prize draw or lottery win, or a chance to
invest in an exciting new money-making or investment programme . In the
circumstance, we unreservedly advice you to dissociate yourself from all
correspondence and transactions entered into based on evidently fraudulent and
fictitious claims.



Anti-fraud resources: