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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:
- "dear friend" (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. Joseph Dominic" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mr.dominic_ebn@rediffmail.com>
Date: Mon, 14 Jan 2013 11:07:11 -0000
Subject: YOUR DREAM HAS COME TRUE!!!
MR. JOSEPH DOMINIC
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
OPERATIONS DIRECTORATE
ECO BANK NIGERIA PLC
NO: 2 AJOSE ADEOGUN STREET
VICTORIA ISLAND
LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA
REF: EBN-0XX2/987/2012
TEL: +2348123856445
Dear friend,
My name is Dr. Joseph Dominic; I am the executive director head of Operations Directorate Eco Bank PLC (EBN).
This is to officially notify you that your inheritance fund ($7.5MUSD) has been cleared for immediate delivery. Your fund and thirty seven others were released and endorsed for immediate delivery after the just concluded United Nations summit held in Geneva, Switzerland. The United Nations (UN) in agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and all financial sectors involved resolved to release this fund to you which is in line with the on going International face mending exercise.
Your payment and all others will be made out from the United Nations drop box with Eco Bank PLC which is the official approved bank to handle payment of all foreign inheritance fund originated from Africa at this first payment quarter of the year. You are hereby advised to contact us as soon as possible for details and call me on my direct phone number for
clarification.
Thanks as I wait to hear from you.
Kind regards,
Dr. Joseph Dominic
TEL: +2348123856445
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Anti-fraud resources:
