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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:
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- ",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)
- "dr.stevepatterson@live.fr" (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.
Fraud email example:
From: "Dr.Steve Patterson" <stevepatterson02@gmail.com>
Reply-To: stevepatterson0@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 02 Oct 2014 22:56:23 +0200
Subject: Attention:American Express Credit Card
Attention:American Express Credit Card
Good day, after much stress, The Bank decided to redirect your One
million five
hundred thousand United States Dollars to American Express Credit Card Centre
Benin Republic so that they can package the total sum into their
facility called
Amex.Credit Card and send to you for us to circumvent all governmental taxes
locally and internationally..
The American Express Credit Card Centre will contact and send to you
your named
Amex. Credit Card containing the five hundred thousand United States Dollars,
they will also send the four digits secret pin code with which you can
be making
withdrawals from the Amex.Card.
This is to let you konw that your approved funds of $1,500,000.00
United States
Dollars as your inhabitant immediately via American Express Credit Card with
your full details below:
1.Full name:______
2.Home Address:______
3. Telephone:______
4.Occupation:______
5.Your scan copy of your ID Card or Driver license
From the card you can withdraw maximum of Thirty Thousand United
States Dollars
per a day and from the card you can transfer one hundred thousand
United States
Dollars to your local account per a day.
YOU SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THE RECIEPT OF THIS MAIL IMMEDIATELY SO THAT WE CAN
DIRECT YOU TO THE AMEX CARD CENTRE BENIN REPUBLIC
Thanks.
Dr.Steve Patterson
Director Of Amex Credit Card
Email: dr.stevepatterson@live.fr
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