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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)
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- 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.
- +447045706138 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
- 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.
- tim.mason92@rocketmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Tesco Bank Plc" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <tim.mason92@rocketmail.com>
Date: Thu, 11 Aug 2011 05:03:26 +0100
Subject: YOUR PAYMENT NOTIFICATION / REPLY ASAP.
>From The Desk Of Tim Mason
Tesco Bank Plc London
Tel: +44 704 570 6138
Email:tim.mason92@rocketmail.com
Dear Beneficiary,
We are the new appointed bank here in England by the Debt Management Commission.Be inform that we have been mandated to immediately credit your bank account with the sum of Fourteen Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars as a compensation for time wasted on your pending contract/inheritance payment.
You are require to immediately re-confirm your full name and address/Mobile Telephone and Fax number, including your bank account details to this office for immediate crediting of the above mentioned amount into your bank account with immediate effect.
Be inform to make sure that you forward to us your correct bank account information in order to avoid transfer error as our bank integrity is on the line and we are ready to serve you better.
Looking forward to your urgent response.
Yours sincerely,
Tim Mason
Tesco Bank Plc.
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Anti-fraud resources:
