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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:
- "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
- spencerdale300@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: SANDRA NDLVARA <online32898@telkomsa.net>
Reply-To: SPENCER DALE <sandrandlvara00@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 28 Jun 2010 22:52:41 +0200 (SAST)
Subject: URGENT NOTIFICATION OF YOUR PAYMENT
Dear beneficiary,
$1.5 million out of your over-due total sum has been approved for payment
through ATM card after all attempts to pay you through bank wire, diplomatic
courier etc failed. The approved sum will be programmed into ATM card and
dispatched to your address. We made several attempts to contact you and this is the 3rd and perhaps the last email to you in respect of this matter.
We received a power of attorney from one JOHN GRIMLEY from USA, purportedly
issued by you asking us to change the beneficiary hence we are seeking for your confirmation through the officer in charge, Mr.Spencer Dale via this email: spencerdale300@gmail.com
Yours respectfully,
Sandra Ndlvara.
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Anti-fraud resources:
