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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:
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "hundred thousand 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)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "fund beneficiary" (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))
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "MRS. RITA ELIZABETH" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <uk_f6@kimo.com>
Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2012 04:41:21 +0800
Subject: TRANSFER NOTIFICATION
UK Federal Bank
78 Northway London
NW11 6PB - United Kingdom
Attn: Fund Beneficiary
International Remittance Department
This department of UK FEDERAL BANK received transfer instruction from African Union to transfer the sum of $3,500,000 as part-payment of your contract/Inheritance funds.
The transfer effects immediately as we confirm the following.
(i)The receiving bank account information of yours.
Account name:...........
Account number:.......
Bank name:...........
Bank address:........
Swift/Routing number:.......
(ii)The direct telephone numbers of your account manager who will confirm the receipt of the Three millions Five Hundred Thousand US Dollars in your account.
Thank you for banking with us,
Regards,
Mrs.Rita Elizabeth
International Remittance Department
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Anti-fraud resources:
