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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr.Peter Amangbo" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <amangbojohnsonzenithdirect20@yahoo.co.nz>
Date: Tue, 9 Feb 2016 16:25:58 +0100
Subject: From ZENITH BANK PLC ..........................
OUR REF:ZNBN/O6
>From the desk of
Mr.Peter Amangbo
Group Managing Director,
Zenith Bank plc
Dear Sir
I am Mr Peter Amangbo of the ZENITH BANK PLC I write to inform you
that the new government under the leadership of President Muhammadu
Buhari has resolved to release all outstanding payment ranging from
2010 to 2015 to all respective beneficiaries. As a matter of fact,
your name was short listed among the unpaid beneficiaries who are yet
to claim.received their long awaiting payment. Be informed that we
have been mandated by the presidency to see that all outstanding
payment is being release to the various beneficiaries and we are
instructed on the mode of payment to be used to afford delay.
It will interest you to know that your funds will be remitted via ATM
CARD payment option, it is a situation wherein the funds will be
uploaded in an ATM card with special programming to enable you
withdraw above the limit of other cards from any ATM machine near you,
this is based on the huge amount uploaded in the card.
You are therefore advised to re-confirm the following details for the
immediate shipping of your card via the FEDEX courier service to your
contact address and the tracking number issue to you. the card secret
pin will be send to you as well.
Full Name:.......
Residential Address:........
Mobile and Telephone Numbers:........
And a scan copy of your ID card or any means of identification of your
person for record purpose. Please note: This government is committed
to fighting corruption and
corrupt government/bank official if you are not the rightful
beneficiary of the said funds please disengage as we are only
authorized to pay $USD10.5MILLION only to all respected beneficiaries
whom names was short listed to us. We look forward to hear from you
as soon as possible as serving you better is our pride and top priority.
Respectfully,
Yours Faithfully
Mr.Peter Amangbo
Group Managing Director,
Zenith Bank plc
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