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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:
- "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
- "lagos" (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.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
Fraud email example:
From: "Inheritance Contract Claim Office" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <official22mail@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2013 08:56:12 -0000
Subject: RE: Are you aware of this woman?
OUR REF: CBN/OHG/OXD1/13
YOUR REF:.................
TELEX: CENBANK.
PAYMENT FILE: CBN/BEN/13.
TO YOUR ATTENTION.
CBN DEBT PAYMENT NOTICE OF YOUR FUNDS.
This is to notify you of a new order on the release of your fund. You have been reported to be sick and hospitalized for about two months now by your representative Bank officer with HSBC Bank USA and your partner Mrs. Janet White of United States of America forwarding the below account for the transfer of Partition payment of $1.3M USD of your approved fund as instructed by you with power of attorney tendered to us. Please Verify these information:
HSBC BANK USA.
452 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK NY 10018-2706
SWIFT CODE; MRMDUS 33
CREDIT TO; FINANCIAL BANK SWIFT CODE; FIBBBJBJ
ACCOUNT NO; 55139678
BENEFICIARY NAME: MRS. JANET WHITE
I wish to inform you that your outstanding payment has been approved and ready to be paid by Bank to Bank Transfer.
We wait to hear from when you are strongh and healthy on your decision if we should go ahead to remit your fund into her account?
Sorry again about your illness, Get well soon
Best regards,
Dr Andrew Goodman
Director ( Paying Unit)
Foreign Payment Office(FPO)
Address: Plot 497, Central Business District, Abogo Largema Street, Lagos-Nigeria
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Anti-fraud resources:
