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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)
- "affidavit of claim" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "money gram" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "we advice you" (this email uses bad English)
- "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
- "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "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.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
Fraud email example:
From: "MRS. INI BASSEY" <dgsergiunitednation@gmail.com>
Reply-To: payydaydeptm@london.com
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:58:28 +0100
Subject: Smile Again
* IMF WORLD REGULATORY OFFICE*
* INTERNATIONAL FUNDS REGULATORY AUTHORITY*
* INTER-CONTINENTAL DEBT RECONCILIATION
DEPT. *
*FROM THE DESK OF: HONORABLE **MRS. INI BASSEY**. **DIRECTOR; IMF World
Regulatory Office.
*
* ATTENTION:PROVISION OF AFFIDAVIT OF CLAIM CERTIFICATE FOR LEGAL COVER/
PROTECTION OF US$15.5M IN FAVOR OF YOU *
*
*
*PLEASE SMILE AGAIN, A NEW BOARD OF DIRECTOR'S HAVE JUST BEEN HANDED THE
POWER OF ATTORNEY TO OVERSEE AND TAKE OVER THIS OFFICE NOW.*
*
*
* IN FOLLOW UP TO THIS A LENGTHY MEETING WAS HELD AND CONCLUDED BY THE NEW
BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON YOUR NOBLE KIND BEHALF AND IT WAS RECOMMENDED,
DECIDED IN YOUR OWN FAVOR AND BEST INTEREST BY THE MINISTER OF FINANCE TO
REDUCE ALL REQUIRED PAYMENT FEE NEEDED FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF YOUR CLEARANCE
AND AFFIDAVIT OF CLAIM CERTIFICATE FOR YOUR OVER DUE TRANSFER WORTH $15.5
MILLION TO ONLY THE SUM OF $99 SO THAT YOU CAN AFFORD AND MEET UP WITH THE
PAYMENT IN OTHER TO HAVE YOUR TRANSFER EFFECTED AND RELEASED INTO ANY BANK
ACCOUNT OF YOUR CHOICE WHERE EVER IN THE WORLD THAT YOU SO CHOOSE OR DESIRE.
*
*BE WARNED IN YOUR OWN BEST INTEREST TO STOP IMMEDIATELY ALL KIND OF
COMMUNICATIONS WITH ANY OTHER OFFICE, GROUP, PERSON OR INDIVIDUAL OTHER
THAN THIS OFFICE THE NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS AS WE ARE THE ONLY OFFICE
EMPOWERED TO SEE AND ENSURE YOU GET PAID YOUR DUE OWED FUND, COMMUNICATING
WITH ANY OTHER OFFICE OTHER THAN THIS OFFICE WILL BE AT YOUR OWN RISK AND
AT YOUR OWN DETRIMENT OF LOOSE (BE WARNED) .
*
*A WORD THEY SAY IS ENOUGH FOR THE WISE AS WE BELIEVE YOU ARE WISE.
*
*
*
*PLEASE WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU HAVE ONLY 48 HOURS TO DO THIS PAYMENT
SO WE CAN CLEAR,RELEASE AND EFFECT YOUR FUND WORTH $15.5M US IN OUR CARE TO
ANY BANK ACCOUNT OF YOUR CHOICE SO WE ADVICE YOU TO PAY THE $99
THROUGH THE WESTERN
UNION MONEY TRANSFER OR MONEY GRAM MONEY TRANSFER TO THE BELOW INFORMATION
AND SEND THE PAYMENT DETAILS TO ME
**RECEIVERS NAME: **OHANA JIM**
*
*RECEIVERS ADDRESS: CITY : LAGOS*
*COUNTRY: NIGERIA*
*SENDERS NAME:*
*SENDERS ADDRESS:
*
*AMOUNT: $99 ONLY
*
*M.T.C.N NUMBER:*
*TEXT QUESTION: NEW
**TEXT ANSWER: ERA
*
**
*WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE ARE INDEED VERY VERY SORRY FOR ANY
INCONVENIENCES ANY DELAY THIS MUST HAVE CAUSED YOU IN HAVING YOUR FUND PAID
OUT TO YOU LONG BEFORE NOW.
*
*YOU WILL NEVER EVER REGRET PAYING THE FEE THIS IS A PROMISE TO YOU AFTER
ALL YOUR PAINS IN THE PAST AS **WE ARE HERE TO SERVE YOU AS OUR WORD IS OUR
BOND TO YOU.*
* *
*CONFIRM THE RECEIPT OF THIS E-MAIL BY YOU IMMEDIATELY AND BE REST ASSURED
THAT YOU WILL BE SMILING TO YOUR BANK ONCE YOU COMPLY WITH THE ABOVE
DIRECTIVES NOW.*
*YOUR URGENT RESPONSE TO THIS E-MAIL NOW WILL GO A LONG WAY IN HELPING US
ENSURE YOUR PAYMENT IS RELEASED TO YOU WITHIN 24HOURS OF YOU ACTING AS
INSTRUCTED YOU NOW.*
*
*
*RESPOND BACK IMMEDIATELY.
*
*MRS. INI BASSEY.*
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