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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 us 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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "UNA" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <unassociation@hotmail.co.uk>
Date: Mon, 10 Nov 2014 23:50:00 -0800
Subject: RESPOND ASAP
Attention Dear
Having reviewed thousands of fraudulent cases in Africa, the United Nations (UN) in collaboration with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have joined forces to compensate you as one of the selected verified fraudulent victims within Asia, America, and Europe with the sum of (US$1,500,000.00) One Million Five hundred thousand US Dollars.
Directives have been given for you to be issued with a CORPORATE ATM CARD to the above compensated amount where your payment will be uploaded. This way you will not have to pass through the rigorous process you under went in the past. You are required to re-confirm your current delivery address to ensure accurate delivery in addition to supplying the following details:
1). Full Names
2). Delivery Address
3). Telephone Numbers
4). Country
5). Any form of identification
Please do provide the above information so that the bank will do the needful as approved.
Congratulations.
================.
Payment Coordinator.
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Anti-fraud resources:
