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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "million 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)
- "my direct telephone number" (a "direct line" in a scam usually means an untraceable mobile phone number used by a scammer in an internet cafe, a redirection service number that forwards to a mobile or a free voicemailbox in a different country.)
- "foreign exchange" (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: "Mr. Kahinde Davies" <rukayyasuleiman361@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 23 Feb 2022 01:45:16 +0100
Subject: NOTICE:
*Hello: *
*I'm sending you this urgent email to confirm if you actually know one Mr.
Anthony Ruiz Berg who claims to be your business associate/ partner in your
country because he is about to inherit your payment by inheritance means.*
*The said Mr. Anthony Ruiz Berg rightfully informed us that you are dead
and he would like to change all the Information that you gave to us as our
genuine beneficiary. I don’t know why this development is coming now that
the Government of Benin Republic wants to offset all outstanding payments
to all our legal foreign beneficiaries around the world and your payment
file was affected.*
*As you may already know, a part payment of the sum of $1.5 Million United
States Dollars is ready to be paid to you and has been approved by the
governing council also your foreign exchange allocation number has been
released by the Central bank of Benin Republic. Sorry to tell you this
because I am so confused about the authenticity of Mr. Anthony Ruiz Berg's
proof of your death so now my superior in our bank has ordered me to
contact you to confirm if you are really dead or alive before we make
payment to the wrong person..*
*We need to confirm from you if it's really true that you are dead and if
we did not hear from you within the next 72hours it automatically means
that you are actually dead and the information passed to us by Mr. Anthony
Ruiz Berg is correct. You are to confirm this information immediately when
you receive this email, so that we know the true position of things with
you so that we won't make any mistake in remitting your out-standing
payment to a wrong person.*
*Your quick response will help the Ministry of Finance a lot. Please
confirm if this information below is correct about your business partner
and get back to me immediately before your fund will be sent to Mr. Anthony
Ruiz Berg as he has sent to us this banking information below where your
funds should be transferred to as agreed between both of you before you
died.*
*RECEIVER'S BANK NAME : AM BANK GROUP.*
*ACCOUNT NAME : ANTHONY RUIZ BERG.*
*ACCOUNT NUMBERS : 227-001-005561-0.*
*SWIFT CODE : ARBKMYKL.*
*ADDRESS : COLORADO. U.S.A *
*Finally send your urgent response to me as soon as possible so I can take
action before your fund will be released to this bank account above
provided by your business partner Mr. Anthony Ruiz Berg. Act fast because
delay is very dangerous. If possible call me on my direct telephone number
below to stop this action immediately.*
*Thanks,*
*Mr. Kahinde Davies*
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Anti-fraud resources:
