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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:
- "million united state 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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Maureen Debby" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <atmcentre111@globomail.com>
Date: Thu, 19 May 2011 18:38:36 +0300
Subject: Re: This is a notice about your unreleased payment.
Re: This is a notice about your unreleased payment.
Compliment of the season! It was a big surprising to me when I discovered that you haven’t received your payment as directed earlier. I have investigated and yet couldn't found any good reason why the payment is still on hold. So I want to use this concession to apologies to you over the delay and damage this might have caused you so far. You should therefore be inform that we have converted your payment sum of ($1.5 Million United State Dollars) to International ATM Master Card through Eco-bank grillwork and is duly Inter Switch to withdraw from any Inter Switch location or ATM center of your choice anywhere in the world.
I used my position to program your payment through this method to avert anymore stoppage and left instruction to ship the packaged ATM Master Card to you.
Therefore, you have to contact and forward you’re mailing details to the ATM centre for the shipping of the package to your address immediately. The details requested for the delivery are as follows;
YOU'RE FULL NAME:
YOU’RE RECEIVING ADDRESS:
PRIVATE TELEPHONE NUMBER SUCH AS MOBILE:
AND NAME OF YOUR NEAREST AIRPORT:
You should try and confirm the details stated above to the ATM centre through the contact info below;
Contact Person Name: STEVE CHIDERA
His contact Email address: atmcentre11@globomail.com
I am presently out of the country for special assignment on new project. So you should be advice to email your details very urgent so that you will receive the packaged ATM Master Card immediately else you will find it elusive in receiving the payment anymore. You have my assurance that the payment will be release to you once you contact the ATM paying centre according to my instruction.
Regards,
Maureen Debby.
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