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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:
- "my direct line" (a "direct line" in a scam usually means an untraceable mobile phone number used by a scammer in an internet cafe, a redirection service number that forwards to a mobile or a free voicemailbox in a different country.)
- 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.
- jkememu@presidency.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Dr. Aganga Olusegun." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <fin_min_info@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Sat, 12 Jun 2010 03:38:50 +0100
Subject: Fraud Alert on your Payment from Nigeria.
Greetings,
This is Dr. Aganga Olusegun, Minister of Finance Federal Republic of Nigeria, by official Protocol I don't contact beneficiaries for their payments as there are procedures and officers I designated to carry out such functions and all I do is to give the final release Authority after verification and payment is released to the beneficiary's Account. We have received series of petitions from beneficiaries that they were contacted and lost money to people claiming to represent me or my office including other Government Agencies hence I am making this contact.
Therefore I am warning you by this message to be aware of receiving message claiming to be from various Government Agencies claiming to be in charge of your payment please disregarding such messages as they are fraud . Only my office and that of The Supervising Officer at the Presidency with this official email address is Authorized to clear fund. Mr. James Kememu Email: jkememu@presidency.com
Having reconciled the Government Account for 2009 it was discovered that your payment was actually approved before now but due to some bureaucratic bottleneck and corrupt practices by some officials your payment is still pending
The World Bank Group cum International Monetary Fund has offered to help the Country by working in collaboration with my Ministry and its .local representatives that these fund are Judiciously utilized and has cleared the total funds meant for payment. Therefore the Government has approved $7 Million (Seven Million USD) of your outstanding payment and will be released into your designated Account within 48hrs by Bank Wire transfer except you opted for another option of payment.
You have been placed on a priority payment status due to the delay and setback you suffered in the past and you are directed to forward the Banking details of where you will want the fund to be sent and this should include the Bank Name, Account No., Routing number or Swift Code and also your full name
The payment will be by Wire Transfer so make sure there is no error on the details you are sending, once I receive the details it shall be forwarded to the paying Bank that will make the transfer and a copy of the transfer receipt will be sent to you.
You can email or call my direct line. Stated below this is my direct line and should NOT be given to a third party as I restrict calls that come to this line. Please quote the Code: Crystal Clear on your correspondence for Pass Identification.
Congratulations in advance.
Dr. Aganga Olusegun
Finance Minister
FRN.
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Anti-fraud resources:
