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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 state 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)
- "united state of america" (this email uses bad English)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. António Guterres" <info@mail.gafrd.gov.eg>
Reply-To: <unpap2023@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2023 19:01:49 -0800
Subject: UNITED NATION WORLD FINANCIAL PROGRAMME.
Attn Beneficiary.
We wish to inform you that the United Nations (UN) has authorized us to remit to you the total sum of $2.5million USD (Two Million Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollars). This amount is to be paid to you because your email address is one of winner of this year program and for the fact that you were selected as one of the beneficiary of the United Nations World Financial Programme (UNWFP) which held in United State of America Washington DC once in a year by the United Nations. This program is online with the social responsibility of the United Nations Organization and World Bank, which is held once every year to change the living status of seven (7) lives around the Globe which you happen to be one of the beneficiaries of this year 2023.
You will be eligible to claim these funds only if youare ready to become one of the UN members and have our staff ID, after doing that then you will contact the bank that will remit the payment to you and you can tell them how you wish to claim the said.
I will send you more details if you agree to become one of our member and also signed an agreement letter with us that you will deliver everything we are going to instruct you to do with this funds, because we will have to pay you a visit after 6 months to see how far you have gone.
Congratulations in advance to you anywhere you are in the whole wideworld.
Yours Sincerely.
Mr. Larry Lyons.
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Anti-fraud resources:
