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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:
- "consignment " (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)
- "diplomatic delivery" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Gerald Coleman" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <managing_directorboa@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2017 14:24:00 +0100
Subject: UNITED NATIONS COMPENSATION PAYMENT CONGRATULATES YOU.
UNITED NATIONS PAYMENT OFFICE LONDON
OFFICIAL PAYMENT UNIT.
Our Ref: UNO /UN/CTB
RELEASE CODE No:0763.
RE: UNITED NATIONS COMPENSATION PAYMENT VIA ATM CARD
Your name is among the last 37 scam victims of severally methods like automated card payment system method (ATM), Consignment Diplomatic Delivery, Bank Wire Transfer, and recently a social media sick woman money transfer and Military dating scam.Your name is among the listed to be compensated this Year by UNITED NATIONS Government in Conjunction with the London Mutual Credit Union Bank, World Bank and IMF by wire transfer of 2.5 Million.
By the power confirm on me by the above mention department I hereby advise you confirm the following.
FULL NAME.......................
DATE OF BIRTH...................
TELEPHONE NUMBER................
FAX NUMBER......................
PRIVATE EMAIL ADDRESS...........
NATIONALITY.....................
ADDRESS.........................
Please note that this information is needed to enable the bank process the release of your fund.
We expect your urgent response to this message to enable us monitor this payment effectively.
Best Regards,
Barrister Atefeh Riazi
Chief Information Technology Officer/
Assistant Secretary-General
United Nations.
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Anti-fraud resources:
