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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:
- "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. )
- "transfer of your funds" (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)
- "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)
- "cotonou" (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.
- 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.
- bankofamericab@sify.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: AMERICA BANK MONEY TRANSFER BENIN BRANCH <douglashull94@yahoo.com.ph>
Reply-To: bankofamericab@sify.com
Date: Sun, 9 Oct 2011 00:55:38 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: ATTENTION DEAR BENEFICIARY
BANK OF AMERICA.
E-MAIL: bankofamericab@sify.com
TELE: 16062730492
DATE OF EMAIL 08/10/2011.
ATTENTION DEAR BENEFICIARY:
WE RECEIVED YOUR MESSAGE CONCERNING THE WIRE TRANSFER
OF YOUR FUND DEPOSITED IN THIS BANK $2.500,000.00 YOU WILL BE REQUIRED
TO RECONFIRM YOUR BANKING DETAILS TO US AS LISTED BELOW TO THIS BANK
BEFORE WE CAN PROCESS WITH THE TRANSFER AS SOON AS WE RECEIVE OUR
TRANSFER CHARGES TOO.
HERE IS THE NEEDED INFORMATION TO
TRANSFER YOUR FUND INTO YOUR DESTINATED ACCOUNT WITHOUT ANY DELAY
IMMEDIATELY THIS BANK CONFIRM THE ACTIVATING OF NEW ACCOUNT FEE TODAY.
URGENT
RESPOND FROM BANK OF AMERICA TO ENABLE US COMPLETE THE TRANSFER OF YOUR
FUNDS BY MONDAY AFTERNOON IMMEDIATELY YOU COMPLY WITH OUR TRANSFER
CHARGES COST.
1.BENEFICIARY FULL NAME :
2.YOUR BANK NAME :
3.YOUR BANK ADDRESS :
4. BANK ROUTING NUMBER:
5. BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER :
WE
ARE WAITING FOR YOU TO VERIFY THE ABOVE INFORMATION IMMEDIATELY SO THAT
THE TRANSACTION WILL BE PROCESSING. AND ALSO THIS BANK WILL DIRECT YOU
ON HOW TO SEND THE ACTIVTING FEE SO THAT WE CAN TRANSFER YOUR FUND INTO
YOUR ACCOUNT IMMEDIATELY YOU HAVE ACCOUNT WITH THIS BANK.
USE
THIS INFO BELOW TO SEND THE FEE TODAY VIA WESTERN UNION AS IT WILL BE
CHEAPER AND FASTER TO ENABLE THIS BANK PROCCED AHEAD AND ACTIVATE FEE
WHICH IS $150.00 USD, THE NEW ACCOUNT OVER HERE THAT WILL BE USE TO
TRANSFER YOUR FUND TO YOUR DESTINATED ACCOUNT THERE IN YOUR COUNTRY.
SEND THE FEE TO OUR HEAD OFFICE IN BENIN REPUBLIC WITH THE BELOW INFORMATION
BENEFICIARY NAME....................OKOLO AUGUSTINE
COUNTRY.....................................BENIN REPUBLIC
CITY.......................................COTONOU
TEXT QUESTION.........................WHO LOVE YOU?
ANSWER..................................GOD
AMOUNT..............................$150.00 USD.
IMMEDIATELY
YOU SEND THE MONEY REMEMBER TO SEND THE PAYMENT INFORMATION TO THIS
BANK TO AVOID ANY AFFICATION IN RECEIVING THE FEE OVER THERE IN OUR
BRANCH OFFICE IN BENIN, PEACE IN JESUS NAME.
CHAIRMAN/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF BANK OF AMERICA.
BANK OF AMERICA FOREIGN OPERATION TRANSACTION
DIRECTOR. U.S.A MOORE WENLTON.
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Anti-fraud resources:
