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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: <Alabama Department of Homeland Security>cosmebasile@speedy.com.ar
Reply-To: spencer_collier@aol.com
Date: 24 May 2016 15:49:23 +0800
Subject: RE: LETTER OF REPATRIATION OF YOUR OUTSTANDING INHERITANCE SUM OF US$10,500,000.00 TO THE NIGERIA GOVERNMENT:

Spencer Collier
Director
Alabama Department of Homeland Security
P.O. Box 304115
Montgomery, AL 36130
spencer.collier@aol.com

Utmost Attention Needed.

RE: LETTER OF REPATRIATION OF YOUR OUTSTANDING INHERITANCE SUM OF
US$10,500,000.00 TO THE NIGERIA GOVERNMENT:

This report, which is based upon information from law enforcement
and complaints submitted to the World Bank concerning existing
cyber scams and Non-release of outstanding Inheritance and
Lottery Funds by the Nigerian Government.

We hereby inform you that with the help of the FBI and Microsoft
Internet Monitoring Unit, we have been able to trap down some of
those scam artists that had been defrauding the general public
all in the name of helping foreign individuals to get their
Inheritance/Lottery funds or to indulge into business with them
with the aim of defrauding foreign beneficiaries.

This e-mail is to confirm directly from you if you have been paid
your outstanding sum of US$10,500,000.00 by the Central Bank of
Nigeria or not because, we received a message from the Governor
of the Central Bank of Nigeria two months ago stating that; your
payment file was included among those whose payment had been made
already.

Thanks for your anticipated co-operation on this matter and your
prompt response will be highly appreciated.

Yours in Service
Spencer Collier
Director,
Alabama Department of Homeland Security

© Copyright Homeland Security, Washington,
D.C

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