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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "million 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)
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- 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.
- visacardrepresentative@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Miss. Sylvia Patrick" <sylvia119911@outlook.com>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2014 09:32:22 +0000
Subject: Your Payment Has Finally Been Approved
Attention Have you Received Your Payment? Your Immediate Confirmation is needed with Your Full Information If You Have Not yet Received Your Payment. I wish to use this Medium to inform you that UN/world Bank warned all banks to release every Long Awaiting CONTRACT/LOTTERY WINNING PRICE OR INHERITANCE payment due for transfer to owners without any delay and lucky the total Part Payment of USD$1.5M One Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars was approved on your name and your payment assigned will be from (UBA) UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA - Burkina-Faso. Payment via an ATM INTERNATIONAL VISA CREDIT CARD which will be credited and send to you through DHL International delivery service and from the card you will withdraw all the USD$1.5M in any ATM SERVICE MACHINE in any part of the world with daily limit of $10,000 only. We have mandated MR LUKANA PETER to process and send you the ATM CARD and PIN NUMBER which you will use to withdraw all your USD$1.5 Million Dollars in any ATM SERVICE MACHINE in any part of the world. You are advice to stop any further communication with anybody or bank regarding your fund and contact the officer in-charge with the below information:Senior Regional Representative.Contact Person: Mr Lukana PeterDirect Email: visacardrepresentative@yahoo.com
You are advice to kindly forward your name, address and phone number to Mr Lukana Peter on the above email address so that he can use it to process your ATM card payment and send you the ATM CARD immediately for your payment. We are very sorry for the plight you have gone through in the past years. Thanks for adhering to this instruction and once again accept our congratulations.Best Regards.Ms. Sylvia PatrickFINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER (UN)
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Anti-fraud resources:
