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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.
- 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:
- "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
- 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.
- executivesecretary.aacb@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Papa Lamine Diop" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <executivesecretary.aacb@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2017 06:46:04 +0100
Subject: Re: Dear Victim/Last opportunity..Urgent
Dear Beneficiary,
Compliment of the season!
This is to officially inform you that the Assembly of Governors of the Association of African Central Banks (AACB),the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and African Union Commission (AUC) agreed that a cheque worth USD $150.000.00 (One Hundred and fifty Thousand United States Dollars) has been issued as a compensation payment for all the short listed scam victims whose email address was recovered during the recent internet probing and investigation process. Your email address was found among the list so we are in no doubt believed that those syndicates must have collected monies from you through their dubious criminal ways.
It was on these very recommendation that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in conjunction with the Association of African Central Banks and African Union Commission after series of meeting held came up with a sanction to all African countries to compensate all foreign victims with a payment benefit of USD $150.000.00 (One Hundred and fifty Thousand United States Dollars) each in order to restore the Global Economy to the enviable standard of respectability.
Please note that your email address fall under West African compensation region and upon receipt of your response we will process and send your Cheque Payment on your name, so if you like to receive your compenstion fund, reconfirm the following information for prompt delivery;
1. Full Name:
2. Phone Number:
3. Mailing Address:
As soon as we reconfirm your information, your cheque will be presented to Federal delivery courier company for delivery to your address. Your immediate compliance to this will expedite actions on your payment.
Note: Beneficiary(s) are responsible for courier charges.
Mr. Papa Lamine Diop
Executive Secretary
FOR ASSOCIATION OF AFRICAN CENTRAL BANKS.
executivesecretary.aacb@yahoo.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
