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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: Weeks Richard <weeksrichard50@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 8 Jun 2021 10:18:13 +0100
Subject: DEAR EMAIL BENEFICIARY


FROM: MR. WEEKS RICHARDS.
HEAD OF ACCOUNTS UNITED NATIONS OFFICE
WASHINGTON DC

DEAR BENEFICIARY,

IN THE WAKE OF THE GLOBAL COVID-19 PANDEMIC, I WISH TO BRING TO YOU THE
GOOD NEWS OF HOPE. MY NAME IS MR. WEEKS RICHARDS, SENIOR OFFICER OF THE
CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION, UNITED NATIONS OFFICE.

I WRITE TO OFFICIALLY INFORM YOU THAT YOU HAVE BEEN SELECTED TO RECEIVE THE
UN COVID-19 STIMULUS PAYMENT OF $2,500,000.00 USD FOR BUSINESS AND HOME
OWNERS. THE SELECTION PROCESS WAS CARRIED OUT

THROUGH THE UNITED NATIONS (UN) COMPUTERIZED EMAIL SELECTION SYSTEM, FROM A
DATABASE OF OVER 79,980,000 EMAIL ADDRESSES OBTAINED WITHIN THE UNITED
STATES, WHICH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS WAS
SELECTED AMONG.

THE UNITED NATIONS COVID-19 RESPONSE AND RECOVERY FUND IS A UN INTER-AGENCY
FUND MECHANISM ESTABLISHED BY THE UN SECRETARY-GENERAL AND THE UNITED
STATES GOVERNMENT TO HELP SUPPORT BUSINESSES AND MIDDLE-INCOME PEOPLE(S) TO
RESPOND TO THE PANDEMIC AND ITS IMPACTS, INCLUDING AN UNPRECEDENTED
SOCIO-ECONOMIC SHOCK.

THE FUND’S ASSISTANCE TARGETS THOSE MOST VULNERABLE TO ECONOMIC HARDSHIP
AND SOCIAL DISRUPTION AROUND THE WORLD.THEREFORE, YOU ARE KINDLY ADVISED TO
RESPOND TO THIS MESSAGE IMMEDIATELY TO RECEIVE YOUR COVID-19 STIMULUS
PAYMENT $2,500,000.00.

IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT SOME CORRUPT OFFICIALS HAVE CONNIVED TO DIVERT THIS
MONEY THAT YOU HAVE BEEN SELECTED TO RECEIVE SO I DECIDED TO SWING INTO
ACTION TO ALERT YOU SO THAT YOU CAN COOPERATE WITH ME TO RECEIVE YOUR MONEY.

PLEASE GET BACK TO ME FOR FURTHER DETAIL.

REMEMBER TO FORWARD YOUR INFORMATION AS REQUIRED BELOW TO ENABLE ME ASSIST
YOU IN FACILITATING YOUR PAYMENT IMMEDIATELY.

1. YOUR FULL NAME:
2. YOUR ADDRESS:
3. YOUR TELEPHONE:
4. YOUR STATE

WE EXPECT YOUR URGENT RESPONSE TO THIS EMAIL TO PERFECT AN UNINTERRUPTED
PAYMENT TRANSACTION EFFECTIVELY.

BEST REGARDS

MR. WEEKS RICHARDS.
HEAD OF ACCOUNTS UNITED NATIONS
WASHINGTON DC

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