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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 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)
- "economic and financial crime commission" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "(efcc)" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. James F. Entwistle" <jamesentwistle11@katttyn.onmicrosoft.com>
Reply-To: <jamesfentwistle3@fromru.com>
Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2016 02:40:03 +0100
Subject: FROM OFFICE OF THE USAMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA
My Dear : Congratulations Good day, I am Mr. James F. Entwistle the new App=
ointed United States Ambassador to Nigeria without mincing words the new Ni=
gerian Government has promise to compensate all the scam victims by people =
who claim to be high government officials banks and thereby defrauding peop=
le of they hard-earned money I am making every efforts to ensure that all o=
f this scam victims people will been compensate and I see that you have rea=
lly paid so much in the hands of this so call scammers that makes me wonder=
. you are a very lucky person because your information's and email address =
was forwarded to me by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) t=
o contact you for your compensation because Nigerian Government has promise=
to release the total sum of $3Million Dollars as a compensation for being =
a victim of Nigerian/ West African scam. Meanwhile, I have discus with the =
Nigeria Minister of finance Mrs Kemi Adeosun and the Chairman of the Econom=
ic And Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) Mr Ibrahim Lamorde and they has gi=
ven go ahead in release the total sum of $3Million Dollars within the next =
7 working days, so after a board meeting held yesterday we have decided to =
release your fund through our international ATM CARD or ELECTRONICS WIRE TR=
ANSFER or ONLINE BANKING depending on wish means you will prefer out of the=
there listed on our email. You are to get back to us with your personal de=
tails and your phone number to ensure it is same as the one forwarded to us=
by the EFCC office, also for your security purpose please you are to confi=
rm your personal information so that we can carry the instruction giving to=
us by Nigerian Government. and know that as soon as you send your ID card =
and any of the payment slip you make to any of them because that will reall=
y proved to me that you are the real scam victims I say congratulations onc=
e again. know that as soon as you confirm to me the personal information st=
ated by the email your full names: your residential address: Country: Cell =
phone I will carry the instruction giving to me immediately in your favor a=
nd also send me your ID card and any of the payment slip you make to any of=
them. Best Regards, Mr. James F. Entwistle United State Ambassador to Nige=
ria
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