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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "time is not on our side" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "diplomatic delivery" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "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 mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- 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.
- drchris_michaels@yahoo.com.sg (Yahoo, Singapore; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Access Bank Plc." <marykirk@truvista.net>
Reply-To: "drchris_michaels@yahoo.com.sg" <drchris_michaels@yahoo.com.sg>
Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2016 00:32:32 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Important Notice Concerning Your ATM Card.
Access Bank PLC
124 Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.
REF:ABN/012/015
Attention: ATM CARD beneficiary,
We have finally arranged to deliver your ATM CARD through a Privatized Diplomatic Delivery Service and we were able to accomplish this with the order from the new President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria through the help of IMF and the CBN and the new Minister of Finance in associate with the ACCESS BANK PLC Director DR. CHRIS MICHAEL and every necessary arrangement has been made successfully with the Privatized Diplomatic Delivery Service Agent Mr. Success Kelechi.
You are to send your full names and your direct address for delivery of your ATM CARD and your direct telephone number to us again the Privatized Diplomatic Delivery Service Agent Mr. Success Kekechi can travel to your country to deliver your ATM CARD to you and your new registration code is (ABN-1215) and we will release of your Secret PIN to you as soon as you get back to us because time is not on our side and we are already in the first quarter of the fiscal year 2016.
Yours in Service,
DR. CHRIS MICHAEL
Phone: +2347016255078
drchris_michaels@yahoo.com.sg
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Anti-fraud resources:
