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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:
- "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)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
- barristeredwinhooks@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Finance Dept" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <barristeredwinhooks@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 3 Jul 2012 23:40:20 +0200
Subject: YOUR ATM IS READY FOR PICK-UP
Good Day,
This mail is to inform you officially that your long awaited Inheritance and contract payment which was held by
Central Bank have been approved today. The information was passed to us from the Federal Ministry of Finance
after the meeting help in their head quarter for more than 6 hours concerning your partial payment. Verdict has
been release and instructions had been giving to Zenith Bank ATM Administrative department to process and remit
the total sum of $900,000.00USD via ATM MasterCard.
Feel free to contact Zenith Bank international ATM directorial department for more information on how you can
receive the ATM MasterCard.
NOTE: YOU ARE TO SEND YOUR RESPONSE TO THE E-MAIL ADDRESS BELOW:
Zenith Bank ATM Department,
Contact Agent: Dr. Edwin Richards Hooks
Email Address: barristeredwinhooks@gmail.com
Make sure you contact him with your complete details to expedite the delivery to your location. We have instructed
him to send the ATM CARD through FedEx Courier service and we have settled the postage fee on your behalf.
Full Name..............
Residential Address.................
Country.......................
Ages............
Gender.............
Telephone number................
You have to provide above details for proper verification that must, because of so many impostor that might want
to intercept the delivery on while on transits.
Like you were informed in above paragraph, the delivery fee has been settled already by finance ministry. The only
requirement is Release Approval Document which will cost ($130.00usd) only. The bank will be authorize to activate
your ATM CARD for easy usage. Barrister Edwin will register your ATM CARD with FedEx and furnish you with FedEx
tracking number immediate you defray the payment. make sure you send your respond to this email (barristeredwinhooks@gmail.com)
Get more instruction from the Barrister asap.
Regards,
Mrs. Gloria Lambert
Secretary (Finance Ministry)
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Anti-fraud resources:
