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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.
- 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.
- un0091auditunit@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "MRS.JOAN WARREN"<united2010audit@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: <unit009joanwarren@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Sat, 6 Mar 2010 14:39:10 +0100
Subject: YOUR FUND TRANSFER UPDATE
UNITED NATIONS
(WORLD BANK ASSISTED PROGRAMME)
DIRECTORATE OF INTERNATIONAL
PAYMENT AND TRANSFERS.
870 UNITED NATIONS PLAZA 20-A NEW YORK NY 10017
WIRE TRANSFER/AUDIT U NIT
Our Ref: WB/NF/UN/XX027
ATTN: Beneficiary,
IRREVOCABLE RELEASE OF YOUR PAYMENT
The United Nations have been authorized by the World Bank and the
International Community to transfer your funds with immediate effect.
You are therefore required to urgently get back to us for an immediate processing and releasing of your funds to you.
Hence you are adviced to send your contact informations such as
1. YOUR FULL NAMES:
2. PHONE AND FAX NUMBER,
3. HOME or OFFICE ADDRESS
4. YOUR AGE AND CURRENT OCCUPATION
5. COPY OF YOUR IDENTIFICATION CARD,
To the payment director as quickly as possible via Email Address : un0091auditunit@yahoo.com.hk
Thanks,
MRS.JOAN WARREN
UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK
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Anti-fraud resources:
