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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: "Dr Lawrence Edwin" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <chairmanondebtreconciliation@live.com>
Date: Wed, 16 May 2012 12:21:59 -0700
Subject: WE NEED YOUR CONFIRMATION URGENTLY..
>From The Desk of (U.N.F.W)
chairman on Debt Reconciliation
Committee of Remittance Unit
Address: 1 Bank PHB Crescent
Victoria Island Lagos.
Telephone: +234 709 264 6951
Attn: Beneficiary,
This is to officially informed you that two people you sent to my office to stand on your behalf in receiving your approved inheritance/contract fund has arrived successfully in question to claim the sum of $16.5 million USD, but we want to be sure if they where really sent by you that is why we contacted you first as you know that an instruction has been given by the Debt Reconciliation Committee that all fund owed to our various beneficiaries must be paid before the Prime Minister reads the budget for the year 2012.
Below here are the account details they submitted to us to transfer your total fund with the accrued interest, also we were informed that this account was given to them by you, so we want you to contact us immediately with the confirmation of this subject.
BANK NAME: WELLS FARGO BANK.
ADDRESS: 1063 11TH ST REEDLEY CA 93654
ACCOUNT #3292957895
ROUTING # 121042882.
BENEFICIARY NAME: JAMES WILSON.
Please confirm to us if this information is ok and was sent by you as to enable us commence on the transfer immediately since the approval payment instruction has been given by Prime Minister, we need your urgent response as to enable us meet up with the mandate given to us by the Prime Minister.
We also need your full details in order to backup your transfer payment if you wasn’t the person that sent the above claimants
Re-confirm the following info.
Full Name
Address:
Country:
Age/Sex:
Occupation:
A Valid Identity Card:
Telephone No:
Yours in-service,
Dr Lawrence Edwin
Chairman on Debt Reconciliation
Committee of foreign Unit
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Anti-fraud resources:
