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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:
- "trunk box" (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)
- "consignment " (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)
- "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.
- 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.
- liongates.securities@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Martin Cole." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <liongates.securities@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 20 Mar 2011 14:30:23 +0800
Subject: RE:- INSTRUCTION TO DELIVER YOUR CONSIGNMENT TRUNK BOX IN OUR VAULT
FROM THE MANAGEMENT
LION GATE SECURITY COMPANY.
LONDON UNITED KINGDOM
RE:- INSTRUCTION TO DELIVER YOUR CONSIGNMENT TRUNK BOX IN OUR VAULT
This is to notify you about this consignment trunk box in our vault.
After due vetting and evaluation of your file that was sent to us by the Ministry of Finance and Central Bank of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Under the direct authorization of the Government of Nigeria in Conjunction with the United Nations and British Government.
This Company has an instruction to see to the immediate release of the sum of SEVENTEEN MILLION UNITED STATE DOLLARS (US$17M) of your claim that has been pending in a trunk box in our security vault.
We were meant to understand from our findings that this fund is the proceed accrued to you from the crude oil transaction you had with the NNPC (Nigeria National Petroleum Company) during the regime of the late President Alhaji Umaru Yaradua who as a result of his death, you have passing through a lot of difficulties in seeing to the release of the fund which amounts to (SEVENTEEN MILLION UNITED STATE DOLLARS (US$17M). This has been the handwork of some dubious elements and directors in the finance department taking advantage of the passing away of the President, held unto your fund.
We advice that you stop further correspondence from anywhere concerning this funds. You no longer have to pass through any difficulties in receiving your fund, as the fund has been deposited with us by the new regime of President Goodluck Jonathan. There is no need for any more delay as you have meet up with the whole requirements. The fund has been deposited in our security vault in London for easy delivery and conclusion of this transaction. The depositors of this fund do not want you to pass through wire transfer with the former bank processing this transaction before. They are already aware that you have taken that option but it did not work out. But you can come down and see your fund with your two eyes if you chose to.
We know your representatives in Nigeria or anywhere will advice you to still go ahead with them, which will be at your own risk.
Do get back to us with the following required information’s.
*Your Full Name
*Your contact Address
*Occupation
*Age
*Direct Cell Phone Number for easy communication
Note that if no seriousness is seen from you, we have no choice but to send this fund back to our treasury as an unclaimed fund by you.
Do see that you forward your above information to this Mr. Mark Hills head of Vault Department with this Email address below. This is very important : liongates.securities@gmail.com
Yours sincerely,
Martin Cole.
Assistance Secretary
LION GATE SECURITY
LONDON-UK
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