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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "transfer into your account" (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)
- "international remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- "central bank of nigeria" (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.
Fraud email example:
From: mrpeter01 <mrpeter01@bol.com.br>
Date: Fri, 9 Dec 2011 08:17:40 -0200
Subject: Attn Beneficiary, INFORMATION OF YOUR COMPENSATION PAYMENT VIA ATM MASTER CARD REPLY ASAP
This is to notify you that UNITED NATIONS AND IMF has directed CENTRAL
BANK OF NIGERIA to transfer your compensation payment to your account
at this juncture all arrangement s has been concluded to deliver your
fund to your door step via international master ATM CARD in other to
prevent further factors that prevent your fund transfer into your
account ever before now.
Send your full information Below ASAP
FULL NAMES
ADDRESS
TELEPHONE NUMBERS
ID CARD COPY
DELIVERY ADDRESS
send your information’s to this office urgent to enable us forward
your information to international remittance department for the
processing of your fund master ATM which will enable you make
withdrawal from any ATM cash point around the Globe.
Waiting for our urgent Reply
Best Regards
Dr. Peter Phillip
Director International Remittance Dep
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Anti-fraud resources:
