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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: "Ms. Carman L. Lapointe." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mslapointe@e-mail.ua>
Date: Mon, 11 Aug 2014 08:26:13 -0700
Subject: Notification

>From Ms. Carman,
Dear Sir,
 
We write to you based on series of investigations and reports from the USA's Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), The London Metropolitan Police and other Security agencies across the world including Asia, Europe, Oceania, Antarctica against the Governments of The Great Britain and several Nations especially Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, India etc on the alarming reports of unpaid contract remunerations and inherittance funds to contractors who had executed contracts with them
 
We have actually discussed with the governments of the affected countries on the subject matter but they claimed to be doing their bests to ensure that the affected persons/beneficiaries receive their funds afterall in their accounts. As directed by our organisation, We are currently working in collaboration with the financial intelligence units of the respective countries which have been authorized to immediately process and effect 'Compensation Payments' of an initial sum of Twenty Million, Five Hundred Thousand Dollars (US$20.50M) through their apex banks to the affected beneficiaries as approved by the respective governments and the United Nations.
Interestingly, the alarming discovery is that some top Africans, Britons and Americans are really the brain behind the misfortunes of the affected beneficiaries including you and are working in collaboration with One Mr. Richard Graves from USA to frustrate you and other affected persons and thereafter divert the funds into their personal accounts.
 
YOU ARE THEREFORE ADVISED TO RE-CONFIRM THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION THUS:
(1)Full Names
(2)PhysicalL Address:
(3)Telephone Number:
(4)Mobile Number:
(5)Sex:
(6)Proof Of Identification:
(7)Age:
(8)Ooccupation:
(9)Country Of Fund Origin:
 
We have a very limited time to work out payments and so would need urgent responses to this message to enable us advise you appropriately.
 
Yours sincerely,
Ms. Carman L. Lapointe.

Anti-fraud resources: