419 scam: "CLAIMS UNIT"<info@admin.org> Dear Lucky Winner

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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:
- "00,000.00" (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 fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
1. They don't notify winners by email.
2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
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.
- +447014245861 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
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.
- data_alibaba2012@mail.com (Mail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "CLAIMS UNIT" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <Data_Alibaba2012@mail.com>
Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:40:28 +0530
Subject: Dear Lucky Winner

Dear Lucky Winner,

The alibaba Lucky Draw Award Group 2012 United Kingdom is proud to Congratulate you on your success as a beneficiary of the alibaba Star Prize Award in this year's 2012 Star Promotion that was conducted over here in UK with our automated email selecting machine, Your (REF:US839/930/01) Your E-mail address emerged as one of the Hundred (100) lucky Email Addresses selected in the yearly Promotion (2012) in UK region. You have been declared the proud winner of $500,000.00. (Five Hundred Thousand Dollars Only).

You are to contact the claim manager via e-mail (Data_Alibaba2012@mail.com) providing the below stated information for the processing of your claims.

Name: Mikel Smith.
Tell: +447014245861
Email: Data_Alibaba2012@mail.com

1. Name:
2. Address:
3. Country:
4. State:
5. Mobile No:
6. Sex:
7. Age:
8. Occupation:
9. Nationality:
10. ID Proof:

We advise you to keep this information to yourself until you have been able to collect your winning fund, as there have been cases of double and unqualified claim, due to beneficiaries informing third parties about his/her donation. Finally, all funds should be claimed by their respective beneficiaries, not later than 7 days after notification. On behalf of the Board kindly,

For confirmation of your winning, please ensure by fill up your winning details claim manager.

Claims Manager,

Mr, Mikel Smith

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam