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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:
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- mrsshannelkatened@easy.com (Easy; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs Shannel Katene ." <mouriemosun@yahoo.co.in>
Reply-To: mrsshannelkatened@easy.com
Date: Tue, 16 Nov 2010 17:23:07 +0530 (IST)
Subject: =?utf-8?B?WU9V4oCZUkUgQVRNIFNXSUZUIENBUkQgUEFZTUVOVA==?=
YOU’RE ATM SWIFT CARD PAYMENT
45 GARKI ABUJA, STREET,
VICTORIA ISLAND,
ABUJA, NIGERIA
We want to quickly inform you that World Bank Auditors are presently sitting in our country due to the payment of contract/inheritance fund that originates all around Africa. This supervision exercise was part of the agreement signed between the joint meetings of this office,
Ecowas,United Nations and the African Union. Your name appeared in the Central Computer among the list of unpaid contract/inheritance beneficiaries who will receive a part-payment of $5.5million.
The fund has been approved for immediate payment to you in SWIFT CARD PAYMENT cash able in any ATM machine worldwide.
This card system will allow you to make withdrawal of maximum five thousand dollars per day in any ATM machine. Kindly respond urgently with the below information which will be used to programmed the fun! d to you for further withdrawal to our account officer directly (mrsshannelkatened@easy.com)
1. YOUR FULL NAME & ADDRESS.
2. YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER.
3. YOUR AGE
4) YOUR NEXT OF KIN
We therefore demand for your full benefit in this payment process. Whereby issue you our code of conduct code for identification to eliminate fraud. INDICATE THIS CODE (ATM-88C.B.N) WHEN CONTACTING THIS CARD CENTER BY USING IT AS YOUR SUBJECT.
Mrs. Shannel Katene .
Accountant (ECOWAS ABUJA)
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Anti-fraud resources:
