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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- 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.
- mymaiil_dba@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: eco.bank12@aol.de
Date: Wed, 4 May 2016 12:53:01 -0400
Subject: Attention
Attention,
I am contacting you base on business and trust to re-profile an unclaimed fund in my office that was deposited since 8 years ago by a foreign investor who wanted to invest in oil and gas here in Africa and since then no one have operated the account for so long now and i am the Branch manager who is in charge of this account I have already informed our top office that the beneficiary of the fund will be in-touch within the next 7 working days as the bank managers have instructed that any dormant account as such in any branch should go into our federal reserve.
Please note that this fund now is free to use as i have all the necessary document related to the account, i have tried to contact the email and phone number use in depositing the money BUT are no more in use so i believe that i am lucky to this opportunity.
So what i need to do now is use your name OR your company name and email as a foreigner to claim this money and all the accumulated interest of the fund will be paid to you and 70% for me 30% for you.
So please i need your urgent reply with your telephone number if you are interested for more details.
write to my second EMAIL at: mymaiil_dba@hotmail.com
Thank you and best regards to your family.
Branch Manager Eco Bank plc,
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Anti-fraud resources:
