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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "money gram" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "million us 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)
- "we advice you" (this email uses bad English)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
Fraud email example:
From: "Dr. Mrs. Emma Agnes" <patriciathomas9288@att.net>
Reply-To: drmrsemmmaagnes@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 27 Jul 2011 11:45:22 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: After the Meeting.
INTER-CONTINENTAL DEBT
RECONCILIATION
DEPT.
FROM THE DESK OF: HONORABLE DR. MRS. EMMA AGNES. DIRECTOR
THIS
MORNING AFTER A SUMMIT WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION PRESIDENT MR. JOSE
MANUEL BARROSO A MEETING WAS HELD ON YOUR BEHALF WHICH HE THE PRESIDENT
INTERCEDED AND PLEADED ON YOUR BEHALF AS REGARDS YOUR $15.5 MILLION US
DOLLARS AND HIS PLEA ON YOUR BEHALF WAS AS GOOD AS ACCEPTED, THIS IS
BECAUSE THE PURPOSE AND AIM OF THE EU IS TO PROTECT HUMAN RIGHTS WHICH
WAS WHY IT WAS ESTABLISHED IN THE FIRST PLACE, YOUR RIGHT IS BEEN
PROTECTED BY HIS OFFICE.
AFTER THE MEETING WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION PRESIDENT
MR. JOSE MANUEL BARROSO WHICH HE PLEADED THAT ALL AND ANY FORM OF
FEE/CHARGES ATTACHED TO YOUR TRANSFER BE REDUCED TO THE SUM OF ONLY $88,
WHICH HAS BEEN ACCEPTED ON YOUR BEHALF, DUE TO HUMANITARIAN GROUND.
TO
THIS END IT WILL INTEREST YOU TO KNOW THAT EVERY AND ANY FEE REQUIRED
OF YOU HAVE BEEN REDUCED TO THE SUM OF ONLY THE SUM OF $88 WHICH IS
IN OTHER TO ENABLE YOU HAVE THIS ONLY FEE PAID SO THAT YOUR $15.5
MILLION US DOLLARS IS RELEASED TO YOU IMMEDIATELY IN OTHER TO ENABLE YOU
HAVE SPEEDY ACCESS
TO YOUR FUND ONCE IT IS RELEASED TO YOU.
DO THIS PAYMENT SO
WE CAN CLEAR,RELEASE AND EFFECT YOUR FUND WORTH $15.5M US IN OUR CARE TO
ANY BANK ACCOUNT OF YOUR CHOICE SO WE ADVICE YOU TO PAY THE $88 THROUGH
THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER OR MONEY GRAM MONEY TRANSFER TO THE BELOW INFORMATION AND SEND THE PAYMENT DETAILS TO ME
RECEIVERS NAME: UWANA GOODLUCK
AMOUNT: $88
M.T.C.N NUMBER:
TEXT QUESTION: NEWS
TEXT ANSWER: GOOD
RECEIVERS ADDRESS: CITY : LAGOS
COUNTRY: NIGERIA
SENDERS NAME:
SENDERS ADDRESS:
RESPOND BACK IMMEDIATELY.
DR. MRS. EMMA AGNES.
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Anti-fraud resources:
