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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 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)
- 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.
- rbanksa2015@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "International Monetary Fund." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <rbanksa2015@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2015 13:43:08 -0700
Subject: International Monetary Fund.
International Monetary Fund.
1st Ave Oribi Street,pretoria north,
south Africa.
Attention:
The International Monetary Fund (IMF),After the
meeting today with FBI and United Nations together with South Africa government. As a scam victim We have come to an agreement that Reserve Bank of South Africa
should compensate you with five million DOLLARS Immediately. So we advise you to contact Reserve Bank of South Africa with your banking details and passport
photo or id card for immediate transfer of five million
dollars without any further delay.
Reserve Bank of South Africa.
Mr. Tsolo Thabo
Department of International Relations
Reserve Bank of South Africa.
Tel:011 334 865,FAx:086 403 903,Cell:+2778472399.
Email:rbanksa2015@gmail.com
REGARDS
James Morgan
Assistant Director in the IMF Africa Department.
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https://www.avast.com/antivirus
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Anti-fraud resources:
