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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:
- "consignment " (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)
- "million united state dollars" (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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Pilot John Kevin Momoh <fundandes@arnet.com.ar>
Reply-To: <mohjohkevin@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 06 Jan 2014 09:36:14 -0300
Subject: Treat Urgent
Your Urgent Attention;
My Name is Pilot John Kevin Momoh. I have been trying to reach you on
your House delivery address and your telephone about an hour now just to
inform you about my successful arrival at JFK International Airport NY
USA. With your four boxes of consignment worth $15.5 Million United
State Dollars which I have been instructed by the United Nation Head
Quarters in Nigeria to be delivered to you.
The Airport authority demanded your contact immediately, so please try
and reach me with my world wide diplomatic number (646-571-3933) as I
can’t afford to spend more time here due to other delivery I have to
take care.
I want you to know that you have 24 hours to call me on phone
(646-571-3933) as you may know I do not want the security company where
this Consignment is lodged to start raising an eye brow because of the
length of time it has stayed. However, before the delivery is affected,
we need you to reconfirm the following information so that the funds
will not be delivered to a wrong person.
1. Full Name
2. Residential Address
3. Direct Telephone Numbers
4. ID passport
5. Age/marital status
After verification of the information with what I have on file, I shall
contact you so that we can make arrangements on the exact time I will be
bringing your package to your residential address. Send the requested
information so that we can proceed.
Regards.
Pilot John Kevin Momoh
Tel (646-571-3933)
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Anti-fraud resources:
