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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:
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- "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.
Fraud email example:
From: "Intercontinental Bank Plc" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <service.intercontinentalbank@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 8 Dec 2010 02:51:13 -0800
Subject: Urgent You Get Back To Us
Attn: Beneficiary
Intercontinental Bank Plc are having a meeting on your
behalf so as to see if we will be able to pay you via ATM Card and you are
advice to confirm your home address to us today and after confirm
your address you will be sent a form which you will fill and return back
to us so that the card will be issued to you and this bank needs
your urgent response back.
Secondly, after confirming your address, the bank will send
you a form which you are going to fill and also have it in mind that
being the beneficiary of the ATM CARD you will have to pay the fee of
$185 for your shipment charge, becuase many beneficiaries had been
decived by diffirent people, that is why the Intercontinental Bank Plc
are paying there beneficiaries by Master Debit card. And also you have
to you this name
to make the payment
RECIVER NAME: MARTINS DIKE
TEXT QUESTION: WHAT FOR
ANSWER: ORANGE
AMOUNT: $185
COUNTRY: LAGOS/NIGERIA.
Thanks
Raymond Obieri
Managing Director
Intercontinental Bank Plc
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Anti-fraud resources:
