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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:
- "million 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 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: infilememo <reubenamos398@gmail.com>
Reply-To: johnego166@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 28 Mar 2023 00:16:07 +0100
Subject: Dear fund Beneficiary
Good day to you
There is an issue with the CBN transfer department in full contract
inheritance payment of $10.5 Million united state dollars directed in
cash credited to file KTU/9023118308 at the owner of this email
address and it was scheduled earlier to pay you via bank to bank
transfer, It became imperative to contact you on the subject matter
because after the fund has been brought to our office for remit,
somebody by name Charles Porter contacted us and said you are on sick
bed and ordered him to contact us to remit the USD$10.5 Million using
his information to pick up your fund presently under our custody for
transfer on your behalf. The Official responsible for the presentation
of your money valued USD$10.5 Million contract inheritance quickly
granted approvals to their application now waiting for final
endorsement from Board of Trustees.
When our CBN Debit Note was submitted to my desk for final Approvals
before forwarding it to Board for endorsement, I noticed that there
are discrepancies as there was no evidence of authorization letter
from you for Charles Porter to receive the fund on your behalf. I
urgently summoned The Official responsible for the presentation of the
winning and directed him to stop the movement of the funds and at the
same time placed a stop order instruction on the funds pending when
your views and comments are received with regards to this matter.
I hereby urged you to call or email me urgently for your comments
which will be highly appreciated if you are still alive or not on sick
bed to commence with your payment accordingly, because we will not
hesitate to continue the payment transfer activation with the name of
the gentleman on claim if no response comes from you as your silence
will be a clear indication that you authorized him to effect the above
changes.
Regards,
Mr John Ego
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Anti-fraud resources:
