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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:
- "bank charges " (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. )
- "central bank of nigeria" (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.
Fraud email example:
From: "Debt Reconciliation Dept" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <operations.debtmgtoffice@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2009 10:55:12 -0700
Subject: PAYMENT REMINDER
Debt Reconciliation Department
The Office of the Presidency
Old Senate Building
Tafawa Balewa Square
We have received reports from our Central Bank of Nigeria and Afribank Limited that your Inheritance/contractual funds awaiting remittance has not been released to you.The Funds Approval totalling USD$2.8Million is part of a mandate passed by the Senate President,at the West African House of Senate in respect to age-long contract payment and debt re-scheduling plan of the Sixteen Economic Communities of West African States due to several petitions from individual contractors through the United Nations and the World Bank of numerous teething problems you had earlier faced including bureaucracies, red tapeism and problems on the part of some overzealous staff of the Federal Ministry.
The Central Bank of Nigeria and AfriBank Nigeria Ltd has confirmed your payment to be in order but could not remit the funds to you because of your inability to offset the bank charges associated with this funds transfer and so the Bank has cancelled your payment terms with them.
Because of the need to actualise your age long payment, we have passed a resolution that payment be done to you and any charges before the funds is transferred to you shall be borne by us. To this end,we have signed a memoradum of understanding with a Portfolio Management Company in the United States of America who will mediate and ensure that the charges being asked before remittance is made to you is settled by the Portfolio Company.
I request therefore that you take urgent and necessary steps to enable you receive this payment by reconfirming Your Full Name ,Address , Phone Number and Occupation.
We shall take up the payment of the charges with the Portfolio company and ensure that your contract sum is paid to you. The Portfolio Company shall respond to you as soon as you are comfortable with this plan.
We thank you for your anticipated co-operation
Mrs. Gabriella Dombraye
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