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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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 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.
- pvanbrook@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Wanita Jones" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <pvanbrook@hotmail.com>
Date: Sun, 29 May 2011 18:04:06 +0100
Subject: INSTRUCTIONS TO CREDIT YOUR BANK
From the Desk of Mrs. Wanita Jones
ING BANK NETHERLANDS
Amstelveenseweg 500
1081 KL Amsterdam, Netherlands
Dearest Customer,
INSTRUCTIONS TO CREDIT YOUR BANK ACCOUNT WITH US$8, 500,000.00
The management of the ING Bank Of Netherlands writes to inform you of
your long over due payment that has been lying waiting in the treasury
department of the ING Bank
With regards to the approval of this payment as confirmed by the Legal
Department of the ING Bank Netherlands; you are hereby directed to
contact Mr. Peter Van brook for immediate payment, as your payment
officer with the contact information below:
Contact Person: Peter van Brook
Email: pvanbrook@hotmail.com
Be further informed that the management of ING Bank has authorized Mr.
Peter Van Brook to wire your funds without any delay as soon as you
provide him with the following information:
Full name:
Current occupation:
Home address:
Country:
Mobile phone:
Bank Details:
You are therefore authorized to reconfirm to the telex department of
the ING Bank Netherlands your complete Personal Information? and
Account Information? to enable us carry out your transfer accordingly.
Contact our office as soon as possible on email or contact Peter Van
Brook for more details on your transfer.
Thank you, for your understand and patience.
Jan H.M. Hommen
chairman Executive Board and CEO Banking and Insurance
______________________________________________________________________
This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System.
For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email
______________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:
