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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:
- "million us dollars" (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)
- "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.
Fraud email example:
From: "MRS. CAROLINE ANSTEY" <imfintrmoneytryoffic@gmail.com>
Reply-To: payydaydeptm@london.com
Date: Thu, 4 Jul 2013 11:48:04 +0100
Subject: FROM MRS. CAROLINE ANSTEY
P.O. Box 127 Lagos, Nigeria
Street: Plot PC 10 off Idowu Taylor Street
Victoria Island
Lagos, Nigeria
BENEFICIARY SIR/MADAM,
WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE DELAY IN YOUR PAYMENT AND ALL THE INCONVENIENCES IT
MIGHT HAVE PUT YOU THROUGH, THE REASON FOR THE DELAY IS AS A RESULT OF A
MINOR PROBLEM EXPERIENCED BY OUR PAYMENT SYSTEM WHICH HAS NOW BEEN RESOLVED.
HOWEVER FOR SAFE SECURED PAYMENT OF YOUR $15.5 MILLION US DOLLARS TO YOU WE
HAVE BEEN ADVISED AND DIRECTED TO INFORM YOU THE BENEFACTOR TO PLEASE
RE-CONFIRM YOUR CORRECT/ EXACT BANKING DETAILS WHICH YOU WISH TO HAVE YOUR
$15.5 MILLION US DOLLARS FUND TRANSFERRED INTO SO THAT THERE ARE NO FURTHER
DELAYS, MISTAKES OR MISPLACEMENT OF TRANSFER AT THE POINT AND TIME OF THE
TRANSFER OF YOUR FUND INTO YOUR ACCOUNT OF YOUR CHOICE.
ALSO THIS MEASURES ARE TO ENABLE US BEAT THE SO CALLED HACKERS, SPAMMERS
AND CRIMINALS OVER THE INTERNET WHO HAVE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO BUT TO
LOCK AROUND TO HACK FUNDS OF INNOCENT PEOPLE LIKE YOU.
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AS WE WAIT TO RECEIVE THE RE-CONFIRMATION OF YOUR
CORRECT BANKING DETAILS TO ENABLE US EFFECT YOUR TRANSFER CORRECTLY.
RESPOND BACK IMMEDIATELY.
MRS. CAROLINE ANSTEY.
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Anti-fraud resources:
