419 scam: "European Anti Fraud Office" <info@foundation.cm.hk> European Anti Fraud Office

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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:
- "swift card payment center" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
- "hundred thousand us 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)
- "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)
- "here in united kingdom" (this email uses bad English)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
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.
- owen.bill69@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "European Anti Fraud Office" <info@foundation.cm.hk>
Reply-To: owen.bill69@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2011 09:24:37 -0200 (BRST)
Subject: European Anti Fraud Office

European Anti Fraud Office
Hog wood Lane,Industrial Estate
London,United Kingdom.

Dear Beneficiary
I am Owen bill Director A Division, Anti fraud investigation and
operations department European anti-Fraud in alliance with United States
Government) with Office here in UNITED KINGDOM .

We have been working towards the eradication of fraudsters and scam
Artists in all parts of Europe, south America, Asian, Africa.
With the help of United States Government and the United Nations and
We have been able to track down so many of this scam artist in various
parts of EUROPEAN countries and Asian, Africa, which includes (, Japan,
Ghana, London, Nigeria) and they are all in our custody here in United
Kingdom.

We have been able to recover so much money from these scam artists. The
United Nation European Anti-Fraud and the United State Government have
Order the money recovered from the Scammed to be shared among 200 Lucky
people around the globe. This mail is been directed to you because your
email address was found in one of the scam Artists file and computer hard
disk in our custody here in London. You are therefore be Compensated with
$900,000.00 (Nine Hundred Thousand US Dollars).

Who claims that they are Barristers, Bank officials, Lottery Agents,
Security Companies, Courier Service Companies who has your money for
transfer or want you to be the next of kin of such funds which do not exist?:

Since your name appeared among the beneficiaries who will receive a
compensation of $900,000.00 we have arranged your payment through our
swift card payment center, Feel free to contact:

MR Francis Morgan, the swift card has been specially prepared it enable you
withdraw your money in any ATM machine in any part of the world, but the
maximum is Five Thousand Dollars Only per day. So you are advice to
contact Mr Francis Morgan

Attn: Mr Francis Morgan
EMAIL: owen.bill69@yahoo.com
Designation: Director General European Anti-Fraud Office
Provide the information bellow to allow him prepare your card including
Your Pin.

1.FULL NAME:
2.FAX NUMBER:
3.TELEPHONE NUMBER
4.ADDRESS
CITY:_____
STATE:_________
ZIP CODE
3. VALID PHONE NUMBERS: :_____
HOME:____
4. SEX / _______
5. PRESENT OCCUPATION
6. BUSINESS / COMPANY NAME

Best Regard
Mr.Owen Bill

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam