| 
 
 | 
joewein.de LLC 
fighting spam and scams on the Internet 
 | 
 | 
"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.  
 -  This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams. 
 
Fraud email example:
From: "Frank Alonso" (may be fake) 
Reply-To: <frankalonso@globomail.com> 
Date: Fri, 4 Feb 2011 20:49:34 +0300 
Subject: United Nations Poverty Alleviation 
 
United Nations Poverty Alleviation 
 
FUND PAYMENT COMMITTEE IN CONJUNCTION WITH OVERSEAS CREDIT COMMISSION has been mandated to Make payment of all outstanding debts,your name and Particulars were discovered as next on the list due for payment 
 
During the last meeting resolving the Economic Melt Down as result of poverty alleviation Decided to engage in an email ballot selection Which your email came out as one of the lucky Email winner of $850,000.00 {Eight Hundred and Fifty Thousand USD dollars} 
 
Payment Code:2011DV100Z3 
 
Your Name._________________________ __ 
Address.______________________ _____ 
Phone .___________________________ 
Occupation.___________________ ________ 
Country.______________________ __ 
Sex. ___________________________ 
Age.__________________________ _ 
 
Send a copy of your response with the PAYMENT CODE 
 
NAME: Mr. Frank Alonso 
ECB/06654 $850,000.00 USD 
Email: frankalonso@globomail.com  
 
Yours Faithfully, 
HEAD OFFICE MADRID 28000 SPAIN 
TEL:+00 34 672 825 20 ext 22 23 
Mrs. Catherine Adams  
PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER 
Copy right 2011  
 
 
 | 
Anti-fraud resources: