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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.
- 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.
- +447024062905 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
Fraud email example:
From: INTER CREDIT UNION BANK <team0984@gmail.com>
Reply-To: account-team@tlen.pl
Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2013 03:16:54 -0800
Subject: IMMEDIATELY RELEASE OF YOUR FUND US$7.5M
From: The office of the Director.
Remittance/Telex Department
Inter Credit Union Bank.
London - United Kingdom.
Tell: +44- 702 406 2905.
Attn: Beneficiary,
We refer to the subject and hereby confirm that we have received instruction from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the office of FBI Department USA, to remit in your favor a sum of US$7.5M. This fund arrive to our bank from Africa.
However, due process and verification is on going with regards to the legality of the fund. This is the normal procedure when an amount of such magnitude is involved. The fund details have been forwarded to the FINANCIAL SERVICE AUTHORITY ( FSA ) and other global finance control bodies for approvals and this
will take just under 24 hours to be concluded and you will be duly informed.
Be advised to forward your full banking details, your direct phone number,a copy of your ID and your full address to us immediately so that transfer proceedings can commence without further delays. As soon as verification is concluded and authority to remit is obtained from the Ministry of Finance your fund will be
released and furthered into your bank account within 24hours. Confirm receipt of message. Always at your services.
Yours Faithfully.
Mrs Erica B. Williams
( Director of Payment ).
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Anti-fraud resources:
