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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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:
- ",500,000" (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)
- "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)
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- "economic and financial crime commission" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "farida waziri" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "lagos" (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.
- fawaziri24@sify.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIME COMMISSION <brad.claims01@live.com>
Reply-To: fawaziri24@sify.com
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2011 17:05:59 +0100
Subject: Your new communication code: NG/ .CCUF -HFCR-/RLPHJ/
ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIME COMMISSION=20
112 AVENUES, SURE ROAD LAGOS/NIGERIA.
EMAIL: fawaziri24@sify.com
My Name is Mrs. Farida Waziri the new Economic and Financial Crimes C=
ommission chairperson in Nigeria . I have tried my best so far to mak=
e sure you receive your outstanding payment with the federal governme=
nt of Nigeria , but I discovered you prefer dealing with crooks and s=
ending your hard earned money to them who have been using my name and=
our communication code in deceiving you.
I will be ready to help you get your fund if you abide to my instruct=
ions to enable me help in delivering your fund as the Economic and Fi=
nancial Crimes Commission principal officer. I strongly know that the=
y will never tell you the truth rather than collecting your hard earn=
ed money from you. I have decided with my veto power that you must re=
ceive one third of your principle fund to ascertain really who I am. =
But I will prefer you send a security communication code to me which =
we can use in communicating to each other for safety reasons if you r=
eally want to claim this fund without fraudulent problem.=20
=20
Note: that thousands of fraudsters have been using this method in sca=
mming most foreign creditors we have in our payment list here in our =
office. We use this medium to inform you that any mail that does not =
come with the new communication code: NG/ .CCUF -HFCR-/RLPHJ/ is fals=
e. In this case, you=92re advice not to respond to any mail that does=
not come with the above communication code.=20
Our final conclusion was that the fund should be paid to you via an a=
utomated teller machine card (ATM) seems this will be easier and fast=
er for you to receive. Note; that the amount you=92re expecting is am=
ounted to US$10,500,000.00 and it has been approved by the IMF yester=
day.
You are advice to email me back via my mailbox at: fawaziri24@sify.co=
m
Regards,=20
Mrs. Farida Waziri.
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