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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:
- "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- 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.
- citi.bank07@yahoo.com.hk (Yahoo, Hong Kong; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "OBAMA FOUNDATION/UNITED NATIONS" <info@un.com>
Reply-To: cbank51@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2011 02:27:16 +0800
Subject: Compensation Payment
Greetings To You,
On behalf of the OBAMA FOUNDATION and UNITED NATIONS, we wish to notify you as a
beneficiary of $500,000.00 USD in compensation of scam victims. This is to bring to
your notice that we are delegated from the OBAMA FOUNDATION and UNITED NATIONS in
Central Bank to pay 10 victims of scam $500,000.00 USD each.
Your E-mail ID was listed and approved for this payment as one of the scam victims to
be paid this amount.You are to fill the appropriate form and submit to the bank.
[1] Full Names :___________________________________
[2] Contact address :______________________________
[3] Direct Telephone No : _________________________
[4] Occupation : __________________________________
[5] Country : _____________________________________
Managing Director of the Citibank,Malaysia
Name: Mr Spencer Walter
Email: citi.bank07@yahoo.com.hk
Yours Faithfully,
Mrs Sandra Simmons
Coordinator.
OBAMA FOUNDATION
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Anti-fraud resources:
