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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 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)
- "million 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)
- "certified bank draft" (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
- 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.
- uunitednation444@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "UNITED NATIONS" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <uunitednation444@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:26:29 -0700
Subject: YOUR PAYMENT RELEASED TODAY . CONGRATULATION!!!
(INTERNATIONAL FUNDS TRANSFER / AUDIT UNIT)
UNITED NATIONS
(WORLD BANK ASSISTED PROGRAMME)
DIRECTORATE OF INTERNATIONAL PAYMENT AND TRANSFERS.
870 UNITED NATIONS PLAZA 20-ANEW YORK NY 10017
WIRE TRANSFER/AUDIT UNIT
Our Ref: WB/NF/UN/XX027
ATTN: BENEFICIARY,
IRREVOCABLE RELEASE OF YOUR PAYMENT
We write to inform you that we have been authorized by the international
community in conjunction with the World bank to investigate the unnecessary
delay of your Outstanding Payment us 10.5 million dollars . We have also
been empowered to
recommend and approve your claims for payment if certified as genuine.
During the course of our investigation, we discovered with dismay that your
payment has been unnecessarily delayed by some corrupt officials of the Bank
who are Trying to divert the beneficiaries' Fund into their private
accounts.
To forestall this, security for your funds has been organized and for the
safety of your funds we have been specifically advised to release this
payment to you either by a Telegraphic Transfer into your Designated
Account, by a Certified Bank Draft or through special Cash Delivery. We have
also agreed with the Presidency that we will make this payment via the
United Nations Accredited Bank to avoid the hopeless situation created by
the Officials of the Previous Bank.
We are happy to inform you that based on our recommendation your outstanding
Fund of $10.5 million us dollars has been credited in your favor in our
Accredited Bank's
Escrow Account.
please reply to:uunitednation444@gmail.com
You are advised to furnish me with this below information:
d We expect your urgent response to this email to enable us monitor this
payment effectively.
CONGRATULATIONS!
MR. BAN KI-MOON,
SECRETARY.
UNITED NATIONS
NEW YORK.
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Anti-fraud resources:
