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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. )
- "service 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. )
- "fund beneficiary" (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)
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: OFFICIAL NOTICE <z3@dcxzawq.ml>
Reply-To: <mohammedchamers1@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 9 Apr 2016 10:40:06 +0100
Subject: URGENT AND IMPORTANT
Dear File Owner/Fund Beneficiary,
This is Terence . McCulley. the Former United States
Ambassador to Republic of Nigeria, I came down here in
Nigeria for an ECOWAS meeting and I was searching for some
files that I left in this office before I left and found out
that you have not received your fund, and I asked the
present ambassador James F. Entwistle what happened that you
have not receive your fund since 2 years ago, and he said
that you refused to pay the required fee for the delivery of
your ATM CARD.
I'm contacting you this morning because the director of
the ATM CARD center here in Nigeria said that they will
divert your ATM CARD to the Government Treasury just because
that you cannot pay for the service fee of your ATM CARD
which is $95.00 only according to them
But I told them to wait until I hear from you today so that
I will know the reason why you rejected such amount of money
$7.5m which will change your life just because of $95.00
I want your urgent response as soon as you receive this
email and explain to me the reason why you have abandon your
ATM CARD because of $95.00 But if you don't need it then
I can change your name to another person so that this
Government will not claim this money but I know that you
will love to have it.
Please my dear I want to help you to receive this fund
because it was a big shock to me that you have not receive
your ATM CARD and withdraw your money since 2 years now and
I'm very sorry for that and you will receive your fund
before the end of this meeting which will take us 4 days and
I will be here to monitor it until you receive your fund.
Kindly get back to me so that I will direct you on how you
will send the $95 dollars fee immediately for your ATM Card
to be register today and ship to you now that I am here with
them, please kindly get back to me if you are still
interested to receive your ATM Card with you.
I will wait to hear from you today with the reconfirmation
of your information for this delivery to avoid wrong
delivery to wrong direction.
Please reconfirm your information such is.
Your Full Name===========
Your Home Address========
Your Country=============
Your Phone Number========
Mr. JAMES F. Entwistle
United States Former Ambassador to the Republic of Nigeria
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