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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:
- "million 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)
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- 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.
- cbnswiftunitt@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "TT UNIT" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <cbnswiftunitt@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2015 19:58:26 +0100
Subject: Transfer Compensation...
Attention: ATM Card Beneficiary,
I wish to use this medium to inform you that your CONTRACT/INHERITANCE part Payment of USD5.5Million United States Dollars) from CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA have been RELEASED and APPROVED for onward Transfer to you via an ATM CARD which you will use to withdraw all the USD$5.5Million United States Dollars in any ATM SERVICE MACHINE in any part
of the world,
We have also mandated the Federal Government of Nigeria designated bank to send your ATM CARD and PIN NUMBER to you which you will use to withdraw all your USD$5.5Million in any ATM SERVICE MACHINE in any part of the world. You are therefore advised to contact my office which is the DIRECTOR OF ATM CARD OPERATIONS.
Send the following details below,
Full Name:......
Address:..........
Telephone:...................
Mobile:.........................
Fax:..........
Email:................
Banking Information:.....
ID................................
We wish to use this opportunity to express our sincere apology over your plight in the past Years and we wish to assure you of prompt receipt of your fund through ATM Card.
Thanking you in advance for your anticipated cooperation. email; cbnswiftunitt@yahoo.com
BEST REGARDS
MR.JOHNSON UDEH
FOREIGN CREDITING DIRECTOR
(ATM CARD OPERATIONS UNIT)CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA.
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Anti-fraud resources:
