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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:
- "chief auditor" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- 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.
- brownebrian93@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "PAYMENT CENTER" <atm_card99@yahoo.com.hk>
Reply-To: brownebrian0093@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Sun, 26 Jun 2011 16:01:27 -0200
Subject: Our Ref: FGN /SNT/OCB!!
Our Ref: FGN /SNT/OCB!
THIS IS TO OFFICIALLY INFORM YOU THAT YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS HAS BEEN ATTACH TO
AN INHERITANCE FILE AND WE FOUND OUT THAT YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED YOUR PAYMENT
AND YOU HAVE NOT FULFILLED THE OBLIGATIONS GIVEN TO YOU IN RESPECT OF YOUR
CONTRACT/INHERITANCE PAYMENT.
SECONDLY WE HAVE SECURE THE RELEASE OF THE FUND TO YOU. YOU ARE TO CONTACT
THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUNDS DEPARTMENT CARD PAYMENT CENTER.
NAMES : Brian Browne
EMAIL ADDRESS: brownebrian93@yahoo.com.hk
Phone: +234-815-496-5856
AND ALSO SEND THE FOLLOWING INFORMATIONS:
1. YOUR FULL NAME......
2. PHONE AND FAX NUMBER......
3. ADDRESS WERE YOU WANT THEM TO SEND THE ATM CARD.....
4. YOUR AGE/SEX.....
5. CURRENT OCCUPATION.....
6. PRESENT COUNTRY.....
7. COPY OF YOUR MEANS OF IDENTIFICATION, ANY OF YOUR INTERNATIONAL PASSPORT
OR DRIVER'S LICENSE.....
THE ATM CARD PAYMENT CENTER HAS BEEN MANDATED TO ISSUE OUT AN ATM CARD VALUE
OF {USD 1.5 MILLION} WHICH YOU WILL USE TO WITHDRAW YOUR MONEY IN ANY ATM
MACHINE, IN ANY PART OF THE WORLD AS PAYMENT FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR 2010,YOU
HAVE TO STOP ANY FURTHER COMMUNICATION WITH ANY OTHER PERSON(S) OR OFFICE(S)
TO AVOID ANY HITCHES IN RECEIVING YOUR PAYMENT. NOTE THAT BECAUSE OF
IMPOSTORS, WE HEREBY ISSUED YOU OUR CODE OF CONDUCT, WHICH IS (ATM-822) SO
YOU HAVE TO INDICATE THIS CODE WHEN CONTACTING THE CARD CENTER BY USING IT AS
YOUR SUBJECT.
NB: You need to give Mr. Brian Browne a call with this phone number:
+234-704-090-3267 So that your ATM CARD can be send to you without any delay.
KINDEST REGARDS,
MRS. LILY WATERS
CHIEF AUDITOR TO THE PRESIDENT
(COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN)
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Anti-fraud resources:
