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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:
- "consignment " (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)
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- 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.
- +2348069428158 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
Fraud email example:
From: CBN <barclayyy@virgilio.it>
Reply-To: officeremittance.remittance2@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 2009 01:48:02 +0100 (GMT+01:00)
Subject: I am Mr. Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, The newly appointed Governor
I am Mr. Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, The newly appointed Governor
of the Central
Bank.
British Government, FBI, UN and World Bank decided that we
contact you
because of the prevailing security report
reaching my office and the intense
nature of polity on your
due contract payment approved and authoried CBN to
release
your fund to you in London.
This is to inform you to come to London
and make claim.
We also set out plan to send your fund to you via
consignment
delivery. This system will be easier for you and for us. We are going to send
your contract part payment of US$10 Million to you via diplomat delivery to yur
door step so you are advice to Re-comfirm your CONTACT HOME ADDRESS AND PHONE
NUMBER.
Congratulations!
Prof. Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.
Phone:+234 806 942
8158
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Anti-fraud resources:
