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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:
- "required fee " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "transfer of your funds" (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)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned 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.
- filedepartment@hotmail.com (Hotmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Dr.Usman Dauda" <officecontact80@yahoo.com.ph>
Reply-To: "Dr.Usman Dauda" <filedepartment@hotmail.com>
Date: Sun, 28 Feb 2016 09:29:52 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Re:Your Funds Release From Debt Management Office??
Debt Management Office
Federal Secretariat Complex Annex
Block F204, Ikoyi Lagos.
Verification and Re-validation unit
Dr.Usman Dauda
Chairman:
Code:FGN/U001
Attn:
Dear Customer.
26/02/016
This is to inform you that I have gotten an investor who has accepted to assist in accomplishing this transaction by loaning us all the required fee needed in this transaction and we agreed that we shall pay him with 5% percent of your total fund after conclusion of the transaction.Secondly he required the below online crediting access login or Equity account in any mentioned bank below and forwards all the online banking information for the payment,it can be a company or private account more importantly make sure that your account must be an empty account before sending the information to me for security reasons.and in this transaction you are not required to spend a cent from your pocket to finance this transaction since that i have gotten an investor to help you receive your funds,if you agree and willing to receive your funds kindly get back to me for more info required from you to this arrangement.
For your information here are the listed online crediting access bank in American the financier demand you to have account so that he can credit the money for you to enable finalize the transfer of your funds remittance into your bank.
1.WELLS FARGO Bank
2.Chase BANK
3.PNC BANK
4.NFCU BANK
5.USAA BANK
6.REGIONS BANK
7.BNY CREDIT UNION BANK
He demand any American bank with online crediting access login or Equity account.
Waiting for your immediate response.
Regards.
Dr.Usman Dauda
Chairman payment coordinator
Email:filedepartment@hotmail.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
