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joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "hundred thousand united state dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- francochukas@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "UNITED NATION" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <francochukas@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2010 02:02:12 -0700
Subject: CONTACT MR.FRANCO CHUKAS FOR YOUR ATM CARD PAYMENT
Attention:Beneficiary,
I am glad to send you this email to notify you concerning your Compensation ATM CARD worth $500.000 Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollars which has been in our custody for the past few months.
We want you to understand that the delivery fee is being paid by the Beneficiary and what you need to do now is to contact us immediately with your informations so that the delivery will commence to your doorstep as soon as possible.
Please if you know you will not be able to pay for the delivery fee of your ATM CARD please do not respond back to this email, and your ATM CARD and your bank Draft will be returned back to the UN (AFRICA REGION) which you will not be able to get the ATM CARD OR YOUR BANK DRAFT again.
Do fill this information and get back to us as soon as You received this message.Recomfirm your mailing address.
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(1) Your Full Name:
(2) Home Address:
(3) Phone, Fax and Mobile Number:
(4) Company Name/Occupation:
(5) Payment option (Check or ATM):
(6) Your Bank Name:
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your ATM CARD OR YOUR BANK DRAFT will be delivered to you as soon as possible.
Get back to the PAYMENT AGENT immediately for the delivery of your ATM CARD.
PAYMENT AGENT:
MR.FRANCO CHUKAS
E-mail:francochukas@gmail.com
TEL: +234 8o82539620
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Thanks for your understanding.
Yours Faithfully,
Amb. Anthony Moore
UN Envoy (African Region)
THE MANAGING DIRECTOR.
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Anti-fraud resources:
