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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: "Mrs Caroline Clarke" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <philiphang@qq.com>
Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2014 15:09:07 -0400
Subject: Mrs Caroline Clarke Govt Refund 24th of March 2014

From the Desk of
Mrs Caroline Clarke
(Appointed Debit Reconcilation Officer)
United Nations Office & Joint
African Union Anti-Fraud Unit. (18)
 
 
Attention / To whom it may concern,
 
 
This letter is from the Joint African/European Union (AU/EU) Anti-fraud team in collaboration with the United Nations (UN) in regards to the extensive raid (arrests) on Internet scammers. Due to the high rate of complain we have been receiving from United Nations (UN) Surveillance on the level of Scam artists/fraudsters with African nationality. All the Internet Service Providers had noticed the increased email traffic originating from Africa to other continents in Europe, Asia and parts of America.
 
 
However, In this raid, three hundred and six (306) scammers have been arrested so far and the raid is still on. We have recovered a total sum of (Three Billion Two Hundred Million United States Dollars US$3.2 Billion) from them in cash and assets confirmed to have come from their victims with the help of interpol and the EFCC. As we have found hundreds of thousands of email addresses of victims from their address books. It is at this juncture that we are contacting you. The African Union (AU) with the United Nation (UN) are making refunds of Five Million Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars US$5,750,000.00 each to victim involved through their email address as listed on the scammer’s address books.
 
Please Contact
Rev. Philip Chang
(Director Debt Refund
World Bank & United Nations
Payment Officer.)
His Email Address:
( philiphang@qq.com ). He will let you know the modalities with which your refunds will be forwarded to you adequately.
 
 
NOTE:You are hereby advised not to contact those scammers again or any available impostor or rather forward their correspondence and message to us for immediate investigation.
 
 
Mrs Caroline Clarke
(Appointed Debit Reconcilation Officer)
United Nations Office & Joint
African Union Anti-Fraud Unit. (18)
Correspondence Office

Anti-fraud resources: