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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: "MR.JIM BOUTON" <info@westernunion.org>
Reply-To: mr_jimbouton101@admin.in.th
Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2012 06:19:11 -0300
Subject: CONGRATULATION......

Dear Sir / Madam,

For 150 years, Western Union has been connecting people. At Western Union,
there's so
much more than money you're sending. Every sender and receiver is important to
us. To
celebrate our 150th Anniversary United Kingdom, we're rewarding our customers
with prizes from
Western Union Online Sweepstake Promotion held on July 19th 2012.

Your Email Address was selected randomly through our Computer Ballot System
from World
Email Directories. This promotion is part of the financial empowerment program
of the Western
Union Company London UK its desire to Reward our Numerous Customers Worldwide.

Because you sent money on-line, from an agent location or received money
through Western
Union, you've have been approved the sum of ??150,000.GBP(ONE HUNDREAD AND FIFTY
THOUSAND BRITISH POUNDS).You are to appear before us here in London within
Five Banking Days to finalize your accreditation modalities with the board of
directors of this organization where you will need to sign some paper works
then we shall hand over your payment cheuque to you in person .While Coming
you are to come with Two Valid Identities that is :

*Your Current International Passport or your driver?? license
*A print out copy of this notice.

All this must be put in place before the organization can honor your
certificate of
ownership and your winning funds to you which you are coming to endorse.

For your own perusal our address is :
Western Union
200 Hammersmith Road
London W6 7DL, United Kingdom
Phone: 44 7045 711 522
Fax: 44 20 79208475

Note however that, you are not to send money to any one for any processing in
order to receive
your funds as the authority is against that, And don't let people,
impersonator fool you or scam
you, otherwise you will regret it after wasting money and effort.

NOTE WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT, YOU MUST KEEP YOUR WINNING DETAILS PRIVATELY.

IT IS IMPORTANT YOU CALL US AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS MAIL TO INSTRUCT US OF
YOUR TRAVEL ARRANGEMENT AS YOU HAVE JUST FOUR BANKING DAYS TO MEET UP WITH
THIS ENDORSEMENT EXERCISE.
CONGRATULATION......

MR.JIM BOUTON
FOREIGN TRANSFER MANAGER OF
WESTERN UNION HEAD OFFICE.
UNITED KINGDOM,LONDON-UK
E-mail:western.union@fastservice.com
mr_jimbouton101@admin.in.th
TEL: +44-7045 7744 74

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