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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.
- 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.
- unitedb_office17@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "HSBC BANK CO-OPERATION" <mrsmaeigha@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: unitedb_office17@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Sat, 6 Oct 2012 12:54:23 +0300 (EEST)
Subject: RE: CONGRATS , YOUR FUNDS HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED
Attention our dear customer:
We are happy to inform you that your US$1.5Million has been transferred into
our Texas Bank for onward remittance into your bank account today. We did not
transfer the funds direct into your bank account due to the President Obama'
s new method of financial obligations, He gave an instruction that any funds
above $50,000.00 will be transferred to Dallas Texas for investigation before
the final remittance into the beneficiary's account.
The Texas bank is the only bank that has been given authority to handle any
transaction from over seas to the States.We heard that you have spent some
money
in order to receive your funds which results nothing in return, Now, You will
receive your funds as soon as you contact them today. Email the bank as
soon as
you receive this email.
I hereby direct you to contact the bank through this information below.
UNITED BANK PLC
DALLAS TEXAS USA
E-mail : unitedb_office17@yahoo.com.hk
They will complete the remittance of the funds into your Bank account
today once
they hear from you.
Congratulations once again.thank you for banking with us.
Yours in service
Jenlee Westerfields
HSBC BANK CO-OPERATION
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Anti-fraud resources:
