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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:
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "foreign.payments@onet.eu" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "International Monenitary Fund" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <foreign.payments@onet.eu>
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2019 18:40:47 -0800
Subject: THIS MESSAGE IS FOR YOU
International Monenitary Fund (IMF)
DATE.: 26/02/2019.
YOUR INHERITANCE FUNDS RELEASE.
This intervention is as result of numerous application and attempt by some group of people to abuse the integrity and reputation of Banks. However, in order to protect its image I have been mandated to inform you that we are in receipt of mandate to take over payment of all debts to owe to beneficiaries which includes you hence mail.
To accomplish the above we have started updating files/applications for the payments of beneficiaries funds. This office is working on the instruction from the United States Intelligence Community {USIC} British intelligence agencies {BIA} and Canadian Intelligence Services {CIS} which had find out reasons why you have been after all efforts you made. The Fund Release Documents was signed neither by yourself nor by a lawyer as epresentative to sign the documents in your behalf. No bank all over the regards photocopies as true documents but hard-copies {originals)
We however, sympathized with you for the delay to locate the proper institution entrusted with mandate of carrying out your overdue payments. To serve you well and prompt. Contact Dr. Idrissa Thiam, at Internatinal Monenitary Fund Office E-mail:- foreign.payments@onet.eu
Your full names, address and telephone numbers including your cell phone and Your bank details.
Thanking you for the anticipated cooperation.
Yours faithfully,
Mansfield R. Knorr
International Monenitary Fund (IMF)
Industriestrasse 47
6300 Zug, Switzerland
REF.: IMF/SCMV-86769
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Anti-fraud resources:
