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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:
- "international remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- 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.
- ge6211042@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Godwin Emefiele <officedefe@gmail.com>
Reply-To: ge6211042@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 6 Feb 2022 07:01:43 +0100
Subject: GOOD DAY
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA.
LAGOS NIGERIA OFFICE OF THE INTERNATIONAL
REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT.
YOUR PAYMENT: Ref: NUMBERS000999/CBN/7535/2022.
Attention Beneficiary,
DID YOU AUTHORIZED ANYBODY WHO PRESENTED DOCUMENT OF CLAIM, REPORTED TO
HAVE SIGNED BY YOU FOR THE RELEASE OF YOUR PART-PAYMENT OF $9.5MILLION USD
ONLY.RECONFIRM BACK TO ME TO AVOID ANY IRREGULARITIES AS YOUR PAYMENT IS
NOW READY TO BE DELIVERED TO YOU BY TELEGRAPHIC TRANSFER (Based on the
instructions received this morning from the Credit Department that this
fund has been awaiting collection for over 2 years without anybody coming
up for the Claim.).
BASED ON THAT YOU HAVE BEEN ADVISED NOT TO RESPOND TO ANY MAIL OR
FAX CONCERNING YOUR FUND FROM ANY BODY WHO CLAIM TO BE OR YOUR AGENT AS
YOUR PAYMENT IS NOW READY TO BE TRANSFERRED IMMEDIATELY MY OFFICE CONFIRMS
RECEIPT OF THE FOLLOWINGS.
Kindly re-confirm to me the followings:
1) Your full name.
2), mobile Phone #.
3) address.
4) age
5) Marital status.
YOU ARE WARNED AND ADVISED TO FOLLOW-UP INSTRUCTIONS AS REGARDS TO YOUR
FUND.THE ABOVE IS YOUR PAYMENT (REF. # .(000999/CBN/7535/2022.) ANY MAIL OR
FAXES WITHOUT YOUR PAYMENT NUMBERS, YOU SHOULD DISREGARD IT.I will also
want you to send your reply to this email: ge6211042@gmail.com
YOURS FAITHFULLY.
Godwin Emefiele
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Anti-fraud resources:
