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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:
- "hundred thousand us 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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- 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.
- capital1creditunion@mynet.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Customer Service" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <capital1creditunion@mynet.com>
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 2010 23:00:05 +0200
Subject: Your Transfer
Good day Sir/Ma,
Every Month a random email is selected from all webmail database around the world to select a winner for the 2010 Email Lottery and your email was selected as the winner of the 2010 Email Lottery, You have won the total sum of $500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand US dollars) Your Funds has been deposited in our CapitalOne Credit Union Bank Domicilary Account.Due to the amount of fraud over the internet we do not participate in courier deliveries of cheque. All you have to do is contact: capital1creditunion@mynet.com to transfer the funds from our domicilary account to any account of your choice as soon as the transfer is complete you will recieve your funds immediately. This is %100 Risk Free Because you will not be required to give out your bank details to anyone
Account Number/User ID: 40366729013
PIN Number/Password: CAP97623BN
NOTE: Please do not give out your PIN Number/Password to anyone.
For Assisitance contact Bank Manager
E-mail: capital1creditunion@mynet.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
