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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:
- "maryannglen@skymail.mn" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Mary Ann Glendon" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <msmmryagllnn@skymail.mn>
Date: Tue, 25 Oct 2011 04:53:52 -0700
Subject: Good News...........From Mary Ann Glendon
Hello.
Good News; from Mary Ann Glendon a Consultant of United Nations.
The United Nations & USA Anti-Fraud Campaign Coalition in-collaboration with Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) wishes to inform you that your total fund has been transferred to a Bank in United States that will release your fund to you immediately, which is payable through an ATM Visa Card to avoid governmental interfere once your ATM Visa Card is registered with Federal Regulation Limit Withdrawer.
We gave them a code: "Code-706" that you will use and contact them because of the impostor from Europe, Africa and in Nigeria today. Please get back to us to enable us give you the contact information, for you to contact the American Bankers Association in United States on how to receive your fund.
Yours truly,
Mary Ann Glendon
Learned Hand Professor of Law
Director, United Nations & USA Anti-Fraud Campaign Coalition
Email: maryannglen@skymail.mn
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Anti-fraud resources:
