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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "god fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- "mrsvictoryegobia@mailaton.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: MRS VICTORY EGOBIA <mrsvictoryegobia3@att.net>
Reply-To: mrsvictoryegobia@mailaton.com
Date: Sat, 8 May 2010 08:02:55 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: INVESTMENT
My Dear Friend.
Re-cash of US$4.5M only for investment.
I am UK Representative Consultant,Mrs.Victory Egobia.
My quest for search for reliable oversea investment partnership for my client made me to contact you. The Person I'm representing is the former owner and Ceo of Oceanic Bank Nigeria Plc. (Chief Mrs Cecilia Ibru). She is also an evangelical Christian and a member of the Nigeria Banker Association.
When she was directly in charge of the affairs of the bank, she assisted the former Heads of service of the Nigeria Government then and made huge sum of $$$Million. Right now his is not in good book of the present Government; they are searching for an opportunity to arrest her and nail her. They have confiscated some of her assets and have freeze some of her account here and oversea.You can view this website for more information:
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/01/18/bank-fraud-efcc-seizes-ibrus-103-houses/
Hence she needs a God fearing person; non-native of Nigeria to help her secured the fund for her in an estate investment.
The investment shall be under your supervision and control pending when this government tenure finished next year. This amount is huge to me; I want to be very sure of age, your ability to keep secret, your capability to keep fund and your suggestion on the area of choice of investment. These requirements are very important to me. I will call you as soon I receive your reply and your mobile phone number.
Note:The fund was presently lodged with Bank here in UK.
Meanwhile find time to download her website: www.ceciliaibru.com study it and get back to me.
Yours faithfully
Mrs.Victory Egobia
Please Reply to this Email:mrsvictoryegobia@mailaton.com
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