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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:
- "to your nominated bank account" (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)
- 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.
- federalreserve_bank@rocketmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Federal Reserve Bank <trgas---1237@att.net>
Reply-To: federalreserve_bank@rocketmail.com
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 2011 02:25:41 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Your Outstanding payment will be wired to your checking account ASAP.
Dear Customer,
We have received your payment file
worth of $8.5M for immediate crediting to your checking account and we
wish to notify you that we are ready to finalize
with your payment by crediting it to your nominated bank account.
It is necessary that I inform you that your fund is presently assigned for
release to you through Federal Reserve Bank. Right now,As a
matter of fact,based on the delay attitude of Federal Government of Nigeria
in releasing your payment.The Federal Government of Nigeria account officer
in charge of conducting payments from Nigerian Government Foreign Reserve
Account has singed a Memoramdum of
Understanding with Federal Reserve Bank which your payment $8.5M will
be paid to you by our bank( Federal
Reserve Bank).
Please ensure to assist us by filling out the text of application
appropriately as this will help us finalize your transfer with out
waste of time.
Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
PERSONAL TRANSFER TEXT OF APPLICATION.
FULL NAME:................................................
ADDRESS:..................................................
TEL.NUMBER(CELL)......................FAX................
EMAIL:....................................................
AMOUNT TO RECEIVE.........................................
SIGNATURE:...........................DATE..................
Come back to me via email address: (
federalreserve_bank@rocketmail.com )for further advice on the immediate
release of your payment.
Regards,
In God we Trust.
Mrs.Rita Franklin
Federal Reserve Bank.
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Anti-fraud resources:
