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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:
- 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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: "IMF PAYMENT OFFICE" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <imf.finan.dept@w.cn>
Date: Fri, 8 Oct 2010 05:03:07 +0100
Subject: How Is Your Family-Confidential
Dear Friend,
How are you and your family? I hope you are all in good health. I was searching for a serious foreign partner to release an estate to his/her custody, in my search I came across your profile. By the way, I am Mr. Roland Akabugo, the Financial Director Of International Monetary Fund IMF Cotonou Benin Republic CHAPTER and I need you consent to release this estate to you.
There is some funds to the tune US$3.9Million [Three Million Nine Hundred Thousand United States Dollar] It was meant to be paid out to one Mr. Jackson Villa of United States whom I contacted for this reason but to my greatest surprise he told me that I am contacting him in error that he never had such fund from any where in the world. My concern is that the funds have been set aside already for this payment but no beneficiary to receive it which mean will be returned to the depository Account as non-fiduciary funds. With my position as the Financial Director of IMF in this region, I can make you the beneficiary of these funds and have our correspondence pay thru bank release the funds to you with the understanding that the funds will be shared amongst us 60% for me and 40% for you.
Be rest assured that no risk is involved in this transaction because as the Financial Director here, I have kept the payment file to my self alone. I will give you full details upon your positive response. please provide me in your reply mail with the followings:
Your full Names
Address
Cell Phone Number
Copy of your Identification
Remain Blessed
Yours Faithfully
Roland Akabugo
+229 96 354 432 - Please Call. thanks
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Anti-fraud resources:
