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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:
- "hundred thousand united states dollars" (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)
- "you are advise to" (this email uses bad English)
- "foreign remittance department" (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.
Fraud email example:
From: BOA Foreign Remittance Bank <edwinkofi55@gmail.com>
Reply-To: boatlanremittance@qq.com
Date: Tue, 22 Oct 2019 15:45:55 -0700
Subject: Your Payment ATM VISA Card Fund
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(BOA)BANK OF AFRICA BENIN
Debt Reconciliation Unit
Director: Mr. Henry Dada
Foreign Remittance Department
Tel :(+229)98642975
Attention Beneficiary:
We have actually been authorized by the United Nations governing body
to dispatch your payment (ATM VISA CARD) valued your
inheritance/compensation funds sum of $1,800.000.00 (One Million
Eight Hundred Thousand United States Dollars Only) was registered with
our Bank and this was done in accordance with the United Nations
Online Compensation Scheme World Bank Assistance Program, IMF and the
United Kingdom Debt Recovery Agency, So you are advise to kindly get
back to us as soon as you receive this important message for immediate
dispatching of your payment (ATM VISA CARD) to your home address or
through (TT) wire transfer
Yours faithfully
Mr. Henry Dada
Director Foreign Remittance Department
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Anti-fraud resources:
