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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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- ",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)
- "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)
- "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
- "interpolinternatoinalpolice101@englandmail.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- 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: "adams lulu" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <adamslulu5@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 22 Nov 2013 14:32:08 -0000
Subject: National Central Bureau of Interpol
National Central Bureau of Interpol
Fraud Compensation Committee
Headquarters, 37 Wood Street
London EC2P 2NQ
E-Mail: interpolinternatoinalpolice101@englandmail.com
Dear Sir/Madam,
This is to inform you that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in conjunction with the World
Bank has comenced on an Anti-Fraud compensation payment scheme following the incessant petitions
and complains from Fraud related victims . It is imperative to inform you that you name has been
cleared for such compensation payment of US$2,500,000.00 which shall be made payable to you
unconditionally via an ATM Debit card issued by the accredited paying bank in the United Kingdom.
We have prevoiusly tried to alert you via sms but you did not respond. We also received an
application/request from Mr. Simon Archer of Chicago in the United States of America who claims
to have received a power of attorney from you asking the paying bank to issue the ATM debit card
in his name . He has to this effect presented to the bank an unendorsed document requesting that
the ATM Debit should be made to his name and sent to his address in the United States of America.
Please confirm to us immediately if you actually authorized Mr. Simon Archer to claim your Anti-
Fraud compensation payment as your confirmation to us via email shall act as final authorization
before we commence action on this payment process.
If on the other hand you never authorized such, Please inform us so that we can carry out severe
measures on this claim.
Yours Faithfully,
AGENT ADAMS LULU .
INTERNATIONAL POLICE LONDON UK.
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Anti-fraud resources:
