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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 united states 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)
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: michael white <mawhite49@bellsouth.net>
Reply-To: mike_garry121@hotmail.com
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 2009 10:00:09 -0800 (PST)
Subject: UNITED POSTAL SERVICE (UPS)
Greetings From United Postal Service (UPS)
Date: 22th/12/2009
This is to officially inform you that there is a bank draft in this office deposited by a private organization body on the 21th of November 2009. Your email address was attached to it and is to be deliver to you. I have been waiting for you to contact us for your confirmable bank draft which contains a sum of $1.5Million United States Dollars and some vital Documents.
Kindly contact our branch office (United Postal Service UPS) to avoid fraudulent issues concerning the service-you are to provide the below information and email it to the Executive Secretary with the email as stated below.
Contact Mr.Emile Hesky.
Email:(postconsultant@informaticos.com)
Tell: +229 980 66 900.
Provide underlisted detail for the immediare delivery of your fund to your destination within the next 48hrs.
Full Name:
Delivery Address:
Phone Number:
Country :
I.D CARD:
NOTE: Every claim has en expiry period of fourteen working days (14days).
Kindest Regards.
Mr.Micheal White
UNITED POSTAL SERVICE (UPS)
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Anti-fraud resources:
