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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:
- "million united state 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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- 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.
- mrrussellkhn099@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "MR.RUSSELL KAHN" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrrussellkhn099@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 23 Sep 2010 08:34:35 -0800
Subject: RE-OUTSTANDING PAYMENT..[YOUR URGENT RESPONSE IS NEEDED NOW}
INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUNDS (IMF)
OFFICE NO IN NIGERIA: 23 ADEBOYE ST,APAPA LAGOS.
ATTENTION BENEFICIARY,
RE-OUTSTANDING PAYMENT
This is to inform you of your Long overdue Payment outstanding our Banking records . Your name appeared among the beneficiaries who will receive a part-payment of US$15.000,000 million (Fifteen Million United State dollars) and it has been approved.However we received an email from one Mr.Kennedy Franklin who told us that he is your next of kin and that you died in a car accident last four months back.He has also submitted his account informations and agree to pay for the approval slip fee which is $350 UNITED STATE DOLLARS to the office department for transfer of the fund to him as your inheritor.We have a secret picture we snapped him.
We are now verifying by contacting your email address as we have in our Bank records before we can make the transfer into his account and for us to conclude confirmation if you are dead or not.Please,confirm response immediately before our action release of the outstanding payment against your name listed out.
Upon this,i request you send your full personal information as soon as possible to enable this department finalize the transfer of the fund release to your nominated foreign Bank Account. This department needs the following informations from you urgently.
1.Full Names ..........
2.Telephone Or Fax Number..........
3.Contact Address..........
4.Age..........
5.Bank Name.......
6.Occupation..........
7.Sex..........
8.Driver's License.......
All response should be forwarded to: mrrussellkhn099@gmail.com for further
processing.
REGARDS,
MR.RUSSELL KAHN
INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUNDS.
CALL ME: +234-708-395-000-8
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Anti-fraud resources:
