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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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:
- "offshore account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- 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.
- cbn.gov.org@financier.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Urgent Need" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <cbn.govt.org@financier.com>
Date: Mon, 6 Oct 2014 12:12:26 -0700
Subject: Transaction
My name is Jacobs Ellis from Jerusalem-Israel. Currently i base and work in Nigeria with 25yrs working experience with Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) and my position is Chief Engineer in Remittance Department of CBN.
I am in urgent need of your partnership to execute a lucrative business transaction for mutual benefit. A deceased customer left outstanding fund valued $58.5million in our offshore account with Ever Green Federal Bank of America. The Bank has delegated me to locate the nearest relative of the deceased customer meanwhile i knew he did not have any relative.Without letting the bank know about this I would like to present you as the nearest relative of the deceased to the bank. The particulars of fund will be changed to your personal name and fund will be transferred to your private account without any risk or delay. Be assured that 60% will be for me and 40% for you at the end.
If you are interested kindly get back to me with your full name, address and Telephone number on email below:
Email: cbn.gov.org@financier.com
I will brief you more on this transaction as soon as i hear from you.You are my first contact I shall wait for days and if i do not hear from you I shall continue with my search for a reliable partner.
Sincerely,
Jacobs Ellis.
Chief Engineer
Remittance Departemnt CBN.
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Anti-fraud resources:
