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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:
- "international remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- "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: "Mr. Robin Parish" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <robinparish96@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 18 Feb 2010 13:46:58 +0100
Subject: Get Back to me/ Contact Mr Smith.
Attention ,
With regards to the payment file brought to my office this morning here in United Nations office concerning your outstanding payment that has not been received by you due to wrong contact office or scrupulous demand of fees.
With this regards we apologize for the past and apologize for all inconveniences it must have caused you and want to assure you that at this time you shall receive your fund only for you to follow my directives in this email and within 4 working days you will have your fund received either by wire to wire transfer, ATM CARD payment or Bank Draft payment.
Due to the economic meltdown and so much international debts Nigerian government are indulged in, they can not pay all debts they owe you in full but shall pay you a part payment of $10.2 Million USD. Via CBN (Central Bank of Nigeria )
So in this case what you should expect to be paid to you in regards to this approval by United Nations is $10.2 Million USD and shall be transferred to you by International Remittance Department of CBN whish is headed by Mr. Smith Daniel.
On the receipt of this email, you are requested to contact him with his below information, explain to him that you are one of the beneficiaries approved to be paid $10.2 Million and he shall work with you and enable your fund to reach you within some days from today.
His information is below:
Name: Smith Daniel
Position: Director International Remittance Department of CBN
Phone: 07037427195
Email: mr.smithdaniel11@turk.tc
You are advised to call or email him as soon as you receive this email for him to attend to you and enable your fund transfer and also email me back as soon as you receive this email and contact Mr. Smith.
All this we are doing now is for your own good so contact him and ones again I must say we are sorry for all the inconvenience you must have encured in the past about this your same over due fund.
Regards
Mr. Robin Parish
United Nations Representative , Nigeria
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Anti-fraud resources:
