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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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "consignment " (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)
- "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: webhyper <webhyper@webhypersoft.com>
Reply-To: <phileal247@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2011 09:06:42 -0600
Subject: URGENT ATTENTION
Dear Sir/Madam
My main reason I contacted you is that my consignment has been in
Netherlands for the past two months and the non inspection tag that
cover my consignment from been inspected worldwide will expire by next
weekend and God forbid I can't get it claimed in Netherlands before the
end of next weekend I stand the chance of my consignment been sent back
to here in Ghana.
I need you to be my new beneficiary and make this my transaction a
priority. I need to give the diplomatic company here a copy of your
passport and a power of attorney that bears your name. As soon this is
done the director will instruct the diplomat in Netherlands to deliver
my consignment to you as been my new beneficiary.
I kindly beg of you to consider my proposal to you and act fast on this
subject. The amount in my consignment is ($7 million USD).Please assists
me so I don't end up with nothing, and also note that the delivery
officer is a man.
Thank you as I wait to hear from you soon. God is with us.
My regards
Philp Micheal.
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Anti-fraud resources:
