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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:
- "here in united kingdom" (this email uses bad English)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Johnson Heade" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <jheadefile@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 1 Jan 2002 19:31:56 -0800
Subject: Receive your compensation funds by United Nations.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN.
REF/PAYMENTS CODE: UN/UK/091603 $950.000.00 USD ONLY.
This is to bring to your notice that we are delegates from the UNITED NATIONS here in United Kingdom.
After our several meetings we were mandated to pay 211 the sum of $950.000.00 USD
(Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars Only each) which you are listed and approved for this payment
get back to this office as soon as possible because your $950.000.00 USD compensations funds has been already approved.
On this faithful recommendations, We wish to inform you that your us$950.000,00 only will be paid to you
via ATM Card Payment from our here in UK.
Meanwhile, you should Re-Confirm to us the following information:
(1): Your Home/Office Address............................
The moment we receive your information, we will commence on the processing of us$950.000.00
Payment to be paid to Through ATM Card Payment without any further delay.
We are waiting now.
Mr. Johnson Heade
Protocol Officer/ Coordinator
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Anti-fraud resources:
