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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:
- "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)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "MRS MARJORIE PABILAN DICHE" <info@bdo.com>
Reply-To: marj_diche1990@live.com
Date: Mon, 29 Feb 2016 19:37:20 +1000
Subject: GOOD DAY!!
Hello,
I am wishing you the best of today, I am Marjorie Pabilan Diche, I serve
as Regional Auditor of Banco de Oro Universal Bank (BDO) and Regal
Properties Inc.I am a top official in charge of client account in
(EQUITABLE PCI BANK) which is now Banco De Oro Universal Bank inside the
Philippines.
I have a business proposition for you, that is why I have contacted you
with the hope that you can be my associate by accepting to stand as the
legal recipient to a Fixed-Income deposit, valued at $10.2Million united
states dollar as the beneficiary of the funds. Which i have planned to
invest in your country with your assistance.and with your total commitment
we shall have this transaction sealed within days.
Please bear in mind that this transaction is 100% risk free and it shall
pass through all laws of international banking . Your share in this
endeavor is 30% of the total money which is approx. $3.2million united
states dollars.
Thanks
Marjorie
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Anti-fraud resources:
