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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:
- "hundred thousand united state dollars" (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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "g.e@mail.mn" (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.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
Fraud email example:
From: "UNITED NATIONS" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <un.compensation@mail.mn>
Date: Sat, 4 Sep 2010 12:54:11 +1000
Subject: Re: YOUR PAYMENT UPDATE..
You may be wondering why this e-mail has come to you, the UNITED NATIONS and representatives of staffs have had several meetings and concluded that all the people that have been scammed via internet or other wise, every foreign contractors that may have not received their contract sum and people that have had unfinished transaction due to various national/Government laws etc. should be compensated with the sum of 500,000 U.S.D (Five hundred thousand United State Dollars) Only.
We found your email in our list and that is why we are contacting you. contact Mr.EMEFILY GODWIN of ZENITH BANK NIGERIA PLC. as he is our representative in Nigeria, contact him immediately for your UNITED NATION compensation bank draft of 500,000 US Dollars which is cashable in any bank in the world
FULL NAME:- ...............
PHONE NUMBER:- ..............
YOUR OCCUPATION:- ...............
POSTAL ADDRESS ie-where you want your Bank Draft posted(P.O Box not accepted) to: .........
SEND THE ABOVE INFO TO: Mr EMEFILY GODWIN
Email: g.e@mail.mn
Tel: +234-809-709-0172
Inform us as soon as you have cashed your bank draft.
Making the world a better place.
Regards,
Mr. Ban Ki Moon
(U.N Secretary General)
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Anti-fraud resources:
