419 scam: "OFFICE OF THE SENATE HOUSE" <info@senate.com> Re:

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:
- "activation fee" (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. )
- "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)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "abuja" (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.
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.
- +2347037122006 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
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.
- mr.tony.gray07@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "OFFICE OF THE SENATE HOUSE" <info@senate.com>
Reply-To: mr.tony.gray07@hotmail.com
Date: Thu, 4 Aug 2011 22:09:00 -0500 (PET)
Subject: Re:

OFFICE OF THE SENATE HOUSE
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN PAYMENT
(RESOLUTION PANEL ON CONTRACT PAYMENT)
PORT HARCOURT-RIVERS STATE
NIGERIA.
PHONE: +2347037122006.

Attention Beneficiary,

This is to bring to your notice that I am a delegate of SENATE HOUSE
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA. You are listed and approved for this payment
as one of the scammed victims to be paid this amount,get back to me as
soon as possible for the immediate payments of your $400,000 USD
compensations funds Via Customize ATM CARD.On this faithful
recommendations, I want you to know that during the last meetings held at
Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria, it was alarmed so much by the world in
the meetings on the lost of funds by various individual to scam artist
operating in syndicates all over the world today. In other to compensate
these victims, the SENATE HOUSE is now paying 470 victims of this
operators $400,000.00 USD each in accordance with the Federal Republic Of
Nigeria recommendations. According to the number of applicants at hand,
264 Beneficiaries has been paid, half of the victims are from the United
States, and we still have more 206 left to be paid the compensations of
$400,000.00 USD each Via Customized ATM CARD. Your particulars was
mentioned by one of the Syndicates who was arrested as one of their
victims of
the operations.

Send Your Full Name/telephone number/your correct
mailing address/country/sex/occupation.

To Oceanic Bank Representative: Mr Tony Gray
Email:mr.tony.gray07@hotmail.com
Telephone: +2347037122006.

All Informations must be provided correctly to the Bank who is in
possession of this ATM CARD. The delivery charges and the insurance of
the Atm Card has be paid for by the SENATE HOUSE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF
NIGERIA to a famous Courier Company (UPS COURIER COMPANY), You will only
to pay the sum of $210 for the activation of the ATM CARD, so that the ATM
CARD will become functional in the ATM MACHINES in your country as this
ATM CARD is an international ATM CARD. Kindly send your information to
Oceanic Bank so that they can give you the modalities on Activating the
ATM CARD.

Note: You will only pay the activation fee for the ATM CARD of $210 to and
no other fee will be required of you.

Kindly Act as instructed.

Yours faithfully,
Senator. David Mark
Senate President, Nigeria.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam