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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:
- "affidavit of claim" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Elizebeth Wallace <elizebethwallace184@msn.com>
Reply-To: <elizebethwallace22@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 17 Oct 2011 18:46:16 +0000
Subject: Kind Attn:Sir/Madam
THE UNITED NATIONS FOUNDATION
In Conjunction with the International Monetary Fund
Lagos-Nigeria.
Senior Human Rights Officer and international payment
department
Kind Attn:Sir/Madam
Sequel to the meeting we have with all the African country
leaders regards to all the payment been owed by the African continent, the
Chairman Organization of African Unit
(OAU) has made it known to all the beneficiaries been owed by African via
contract, inheritance, and lotto during his
recent interview with British broadcasting co-operation (BBC) that all
the debt been owed by the Africans should be paid to them via OAU account with
the supervision of the International monitoring fund unit Lagos- Nigeria which
you happened to be one of them.
The formal payment officer that has been handling your
payment before have been instructed to hands up from you payment due to the
petitions and complain we have been receiving from all parts of the world
against African countries the way they are delaying with their beneficiaries
fund. Some petitions we received made it known to us that some beneficiaries
have loose all they have achieve in the life time due to the way Africans are
asking them to pay one charge or the other in regards of their payment.
Be inform that UNITED NATIONS FOUNDATION mapped out the
total sum of USD18Million to compensation all SCAM VICTIMS to have there normal
live again. This includes every foreign contractor that may have not received
their contract sum.
You are advice to stop any further communication outside
this office. First Merchant Bank in Nigeria which the officer in-charge
is Mr. Jude Okoya has been mandated to release your fund.
You are therefore requested to reconfirm the information as
stated below:
(1) Your Full Name.
(2) Your Address.
(3) Your Phone Number.
(4) Your Occupation and Age.
Any other further communication you have out side this
office is at your own risk and you are advice to stop making any further
payment to any one without my notice.
We apologies to you and your company or family for what it
might has cost you in the past without receiving your payment upon the charges
and taxes you have paid before. Get back to us immediately you receive your
payment to enable us close your payment file.
Note that upon your response to this mail by sending the
above information letter of your payment approval and true affidavit of claims
will be issue in your favor and send to First Merchant Bank while copies of the
above documents will send to you.
Best Regards
Elizebeth Wallace.
Senior Human Rights Officer united nations,
Lagos-Nigeria.
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