419 scam: "UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM" <dept@yahoo.com> your Qualification numbers (WB/NF/UNXX027/09).

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:
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- ",500,000" (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)
This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
1. They don't notify winners by email.
2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
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.
- daviddeanoffice@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM" <dept@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: undp_dept@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Sat, 26 Feb 2011 19:50:19 +0000
Subject: your Qualification numbers (WB/NF/UNXX027/09).

THE UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (UNDP)

The united nations development program (UNDP), in conjunction with the
society for family health (SFH) and the European Union (EU), is giving out
a yearly donation of US$1,500,000.00 (One million, five hundred thousand
united states dollars) as a specific Donation/Grants to 32 Lucky
international recipients worldwide,this is to assist against terrorism.

Note: All beneficiaries email addresses were selected randomly from over
100,000 Internet websites, mini mart shops cash invoice around your area
in which you might have purchased something from. Be Informed that NO
TICKET WERE SOLD, you are required to Contact the office of our Executive
Secretary with the below contact Information's for qualification
documentation and processing of your claims. You are to contact the
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY with your Qualification numbers (WB/NF/UNXX027/09).

=====================================
FUNDS RELEASED AND VERIFICATION FORM
=====================================

1.Full Name.:
2.Contact Address.:
3.City/States.:
4.Country of Origin.:
5.Present Country.:
6. Marital Status.:
7.NATIONALITY.
8.SEX...
9. AGE /DATE OF BIRTH:
10.TEL/FAX NR:
11.OCCUPATION :
12. WINNING EMAIL ID:

========================================

CONTACT PERSON,
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY:
Mr. David Dean.
Email: daviddeanoffice@gmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam