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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:
- ",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)
- "fund beneficiary" (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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
Fraud email example:
From: helen bruce <helenbruce43@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2014 13:32:18 +0100
Subject: Dear fund beneficiary
Dear fund beneficiary,
We the Board Executive Directors of Payment Deduction from Source Units are
hereby received information of your person through Office of the Presidency
that your outstanding fund recorded unpaid should be released with
immediate effects on this third quote payment 2014.
This office hereby assured you our executed contractor must received all
due fund without hesitation as law permitted. We have gone through your
available payment file and data submitted to this office for proper
investigation and directives to assured legal payment. You are urgently
advise to confirm to this office with your payment information as follows
below to empowered this humble unit showcases our assistance without
delayed.
We are working on part payment of US$2,500,000:00. I am looking forward to
your response in bring payment into final confirmation order. You are
advised to reach undersigned on direct phone number +2348053365654 as soon
as this message get to mail box. The payment update should never made known
to anyone whoever for your
Thanks,
Yours Faithfully,
Mrs. Helen Bruce
Executive Director of Payment Deduction from Source Units
Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN)
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Anti-fraud resources:
