joewein.de LLC fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter! Free trial for 30 days

"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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.

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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "hundred thousand united states 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)
  • "nuhu ribadu" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: EFCC NIG <efcc_nig_0080@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <efcc_nig0007@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 3 Jul 2007 11:07:26 +0100
Subject: Respectfully Awaiting Your Response.



From The Desk Of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu Chairman Economic & Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).

Attn:,

We understand that you are one of the contractors whose contract fund which is amounted to be US$12.5m (Twelve million, five hundred thousand United States dollars) has been pending for so long and some hoodlums have been using this opportunity to get money from you using the name of top personnels in our country.

Please forgive us for the inefficiency but we promise to make sure that you receive your entire fund and also get the culprits arrested immediately.

Please you have to reply this mail immediately you get it so that we will direct you to the bank where your fund is at the moment and I promise to make sureyou receive your money in less than 48 hours after this mail has been read and replied.

Please also send your direct telephone / fax number toenable us expediate this transfer.

Thanks and God Bless. Mallam Nuhu Ribadu Executive Chairman (EFCC)
_________________________________________________________________
Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today it's FREE!
http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam