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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:
- "cost of transfer" (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. )
- "western union" (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. )
- "waiting for your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
Fraud email example:
From: "FIRST CITY MONUMENT BANK PLC" <info@fcmb.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: kesten_peter@8u8.com
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 08:22:08 +0800 (MYT)
Subject: GOOD NEWS
Good Day,
The first City Monument Bank today got a notice that every one of you
who has not been able to receive there ATM-CARD to send the following
informations immediately so that a financier there in the United states
can help process the payment here in Nigeria and the funds will be paid
into your account. Note that you will give 10% of the $6.8 Million to
the Financier once you have successfully gotten the funds. Below are
the You will need a Bank of American Account where the financier will
pay to Or a valued credit Card. The Cost of transfer of the $6.8
Million is $12.834.00USD.He will transfer $900.00 and from there you
will take $100.00 to pay for western union charges to send it.
==============================
CREDIT CARD INFORMATION REQUIRED.
==============================
NAME ON CARD:
BILLING ADDRESS:
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER:
MOTHER MAIDEN NAME:
TOLL FREE NUMBER BEHIND THE CARD:
CARD NUMBER:
CARD LIMIT:
ISSUING BANK:
CHECKING ACCOUNT:
===================================
BANK ACCOUNT DETAILS REQUIRED
===================================
Bank Name:
Account Number:
Bank owner name:
Bank address:
City:
State:
Zip code:
Country:
Address:
Personal telephone Number:
Here is the information we need please make it urgent so that the first
payment can be made to and you can send it there after we will contact you
when the payment is received. Waiting for your urgent responses.
Mr. Bismarck Rewane
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Anti-fraud resources:
