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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:
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "transfer into your account" (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)
- 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.
- allied_plc@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
- to contact the bank immediately with this email address(allied_plc@hotmail.com) or (alliedbankplc@yahoo.co.nz) congratulations have a (Hotmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Michael Kennedy" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <allied_plc@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 5 Apr 2011 06:55:45 -0700
Subject: UNITED NATIONS/ WORLD BANK PAYMENT OF 10.5 TO YOU
UNITED NATIONS/ WORLD BANK
HEADQUARTER GENEVA,
PALAIS DES NATIONS
# 1211 GENEVA 10,
SWITZERLAND
ATTEN:Beneficiary
You are urgently informed that your inheritance funds $10.5M has been
transferred 19/1/2011 into your designated bank account following the
order of United Nations/ World Bank
You have been asked to contact the telex room at Allied Irish Bank
London in person of Frank Daly for the copy of telex tracer for
immediate transfer into your account
However, if you haven’t seen the money into your account please do not
hesitate to contact the bank immediately with this email address(allied_plc@hotmail.com)
or (alliedbankplc@yahoo.co.nz)
Congratulations have a great and blissful day.
Best regards,
Michael Kennedy
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Anti-fraud resources:
