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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:
- "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)
- "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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "world Bank audit Unit" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <michel.wong@yahoo.cn>
Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2011 19:31:19 -0800
Subject: Your Long Over-due funds transfer (WBA-103)
ROM WORLD BANK AUDITORS
ZURICH.SWITZERLAND
ASIA PAYMENT OFFICE
BEIJING-CHINA
Attention:BENEFICIARY
Your Payment File was given to this office in respect of your total long over-due amount for which we have approved $2.5million us dollars (Two Million, Five Hundred Thousand united states dollars.
You have Failed to claim because of either non-compliance with official processes or apparent ineptitude by the payment officers who have been handling the payment.
We wish to bring to you the solution to this problem. Right now we have arranged your payment through the BANK OF CHINA where this amount has been deposited in your name.However,while the bank has tried to contact you without success a person in the name of Morris Green an American citizen sent a message and called the bank claiming that he has your mandate to claim the funds.Do you know this person and did you authorise him to claim the funds on your behalf?
It is very important that you contact us immediately as Bank of china will have no option than to release the funds to Morris Green if they do not hear from you in the next 72 hours.
In your response you must send the following information as listed below.
1. Full name
2. Phone and Fax number
3. Address where you want ATM Card to be sent to (P.O Box Not Acceptable)
4. Your age and current occupation
5. Attach copy of your identification
Also for your information, you have to stop any further communication with any other person(s) or office(s) to avoid any hitches in receiving your payment.
Note that because of impostors we hereby issue you our Code of Conduct, which is (WBA-103),so you have to indicate this code when contacting me by using it as your subject.
Waiting for your expedite response
Yours in Service,
MRS MICHEL WONG
WORLD BANK AUDITORS
BEJING-CHINA
XPEJLDQXPYLTBTQWJRCZXWNHQMJLCUPSJUJRMC
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Anti-fraud resources:
