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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:
- 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:
- "consignment " (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)
- "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Lavon McLeod" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <lavon.mcleod@consultant.com>
Date: Sat, 21 May 2011 06:26:34 -0700
Subject: Attention Dear Beneficiary.
Dear Beneficiary,
I hope that this correspondence is received with the urgency and expediency required. It has come to the notice of the Board of Trustees at the African Union that your present inheritance claims application being handled by the remitting Bank in Ghana is experiencing some man made irregularities.To this effect,it has become necessary for the Board of Trustees to invite trained Fund Transfer Specialist from the United States to resolve and regularize
your fund release with immediate effect.
We at Bridge Waters Securities Ltd. UK. have been duly consulted by the African Union board of Trustees and have been fully informed about how the staff of the remitting bank have been taking advantage of you by telling you to pay unnecessarily exorbitant charges which will only make your fund payment a long drawn out process Due to this we have decided to step into the process of your fund transfer to enable your funds to be delivered within the soonest possible time you are to get back to us immediately without further delays for immediate commencement on the delivery of your consignment through a very reliable courier company here in UK.
All processes to have your funds delivered to you immediately through Bridge Waters Securities Ltd. are very much in place which will enable cut out unnecessary costs.You are advised to keep this communication highly confidential as the African Union Board of Trustees have asked us to resolve this fund payment independent of the office of the African Union President to identify the principal participants in this unethical payment procedure.
Furthermore,you are hereby advised to pay no further fees or charges to the former remitting Bank as they shall no longer be handling your payment process. We shall await your immediate correspondence with your direct telephone numbers for re-confirmation. I wait for your reply so we may conclude your payment delivery immediately immediately.
Dr. Lavon C. Mcleod
Director of Operations
Bridge Waters Securities Ltd. UK
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Anti-fraud resources:
