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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:
- "transfer of your funds" (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)
- "million us 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)
- "here in united kingdom" (this email uses bad English)
- "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- 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.
- travismorgan_07@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Honorable Mrs. Carolyn Edward" <imf1938@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: IMF-World_Regulatory.Office@london.com
Date: Tue, 29 Nov 2011 08:50:06 -0800
Subject: Very Urgent.
--
*Read Carefully,*
* **
**Good day to you, I am Honorable Mrs. Carolyn Edward the Director of
International Monetary Fund here in United Kingdom. I will like to inform
you that all your information including your Banking details are intact on
my desk. I am contacting you regarding your fund valued of $20 million US
Dollars that is presently deposited in ALLIED IRISH BANK LONDON.**
**Kindly contact Allied Irish Bank for the immediate transfer of your funds
with the information below.**
**Name: Mr. Travis Morgan**
**Director Foreign Remittance Department**
**ALLIED IRISH BANK LONDON**
**Email: travismorgan_07@yahoo.com<http://service.mail.com/callgate-6.49.6.0/rms/6.49.6.0/mail/getBody?folderIdmessageId=NjUyOGIhSzg3M2YZkjIxHn4xMXGUTUml&purpose
splay&bodyType=html>
**
**Telephone Number: +447597646886**
**Ensure you contact him immediately you read this mail so that they can
finalize with your funds transfer before they close for the year. Kindly
get back to me once you have contacted the bank via my personal email:**
** **
**Thanks and God Bless you.**
**Awaiting your respond.*
*Sincerely,*
*HONORABLE MRS. CAROLYN EDWARD**
**DIRECTOR; IMF World Regulatory Office*
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Anti-fraud resources:
