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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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:
- "swift card payment center" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
- "required fee " (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. )
- "million 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)
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- wint.zuma@hotmail.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Mrs Comfort Alex <department.claim1@gmail.com>
Reply-To: wint.zuma@hotmail.fr
Date: Tue, 28 Jun 2016 11:22:59 +0100
Subject: CONTACT ATM CARD CENTER
Your Contact Details Was Given To This Office In Respect Of Your Total
inherited/Compensation Fund This New Year 2016 To You Which You Have Failed
To Claim Because Of Either Non-Compliance Of Official Processes. We Wish
To Bring To You The Solution To This Problem. Right Now We Have Arranged
Your Payment Through Our Swift Card Payment Centers,
This Card Center Will Send To You An ATM CARD Which You Will Use To
Withdraw Your Fund In Any ATM Machine In Any Part Of The World, So Send The
Following Information As Listed Below.
1. Full Name
2. Phone And Fax Number
3. Address Were You Want Them To Send The ATM Card To (P.O Box Not
Acceptable)
4. Your Age And Current Occupation
5. Attach Copy Of Your Identification 6. your resident
We Have Been Mandated By The ECOWAS Parliament To Issue Out $1.5 Million
Dollars in your favor This New year 2016. Also For Your Information, You
Have To Stop Any Further Communication With Any Other Person (S) Or
Office(S) To Avoid Any Hitches In Receiving Your Payment.
Note That Because Of Impostors, We Hereby Issued You Our Code Of Conduct,
Which Is (ODAC95) So You Have To Indicate This Code When Contacting The
Card Center By Using It As Your Subject. It will cost you only $175 for
shipment/delivery of the card to your doorstep. AS SOON AS I CONFIRM THE
REQUIRED INFORMATION I WILL DIRECT YOU ON HOW YOU ARE GOING TO SEND THE
REQUIRED FEE FOR IMMEDIATE DISPATCH OF YOUR ATM PAYMENT.
CONTACT PERSON:
NAME ; MR ANTHONY OKOH
MAIL ADDRESS: wint.zuma@hotmail.fr
Mrs Comfort Alex
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Anti-fraud resources:
