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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:
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- "my direct telephone number" (a "direct line" in a scam usually means an untraceable mobile phone number used by a scammer in an internet cafe, a redirection service number that forwards to a mobile or a free voicemailbox in a different country.)
- "abuja" (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.
- 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.
- goodluckjona2012@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <goodluckjona20122@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 9 Aug 2012 15:21:55 -0700
Subject: Immediate Payment
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENCY DR. GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN GCFR
PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF ARMED FORCES
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ASO ROCK VILLA ABUJA
Cablegram: presidency
ATTN: Honourable Beneficiary
Re-Immediate Payment of US$7.3Million of Your Inheritance Funds.
This is to inform you that the Presidency has stepped into the payment of your inheritance funds with the Federal Government of Nigeria due to the complain
you the beneficiary's make to United Nations and World Bank to sanction Nigeria Government not to have any other business relationship with any country till
we settle all our outstanding debts own to you foreign contractor’s.
A meeting was held at the World Bank in Switzerland regards to this sanction from the UN and World Bank for the settlement of this debts own to you
contractor’s, I wish to inform you that an ATM MASTER CARD worth of US$7.3Million has been issued in your favour.
You are to come down here in Nigeria for the collection of this ATM MASTER CARD. But alternatively if you can not make the trip here in Nigeria for the
collection of this ATM CARD with a genuine reason, you are to bear the cost US$105.00 (One Hundred and Five United States Dollars Only) for the dispatchment
fee. You are advice to contact this office through my direct telephone number 234-818-3881403 email address goodluckjona2012@gmail.com then send the
following information stated below.
1. Full name
2. Phone and Fax number
Note that your corporation towards this matter will help us a lot in regaining back our position with the World Bank and be advise to stop any further
contact with any office that is previously handling your payment they are not in position again to handle your funds in other not to jeopardize your effort
of receiving this funds.
DR. GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN
PRESIDENT, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA GCFR.
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Anti-fraud resources:
