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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:
- "hundred thousand 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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "UNITED NATIONS" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <un.compensation@mail.mn>
Date: Fri, 4 Feb 2011 08:32:46 -0000
Subject: Re: YOUR PAYMENT UPDATE
This email have come to your because we found your email on our list. The UNITED NATIONS and representatives of staffs have had several meetings and concluded that all the people that have been scammed via internet, every foreign contractors that have not received their contract sum and people that have had unfinished international transactions due to various national/Government laws etc. should be compensated with the sum of 500,000 U.S.D (Five hundred thousand United State Dollars) Only.
contact Mr.Godwin Emefily of ZENITH BANK NIGERIA PLC immediately for your UNITED NATION compensation cash of 500,000 US Dollars as he is our representative in Nigeria, Send him the below information:
FULL NAME:--
PHONE NUMBER:--
YOUR OCCUPATION:--
YOUR CONTACT ADDRESS--
Person to contact: Mr Godwin Emefily
His Email: godwin.e@mail.mn
Making the world a better place.
Mr. Ban Ki Moon
(U.N Secretary General)
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Anti-fraud resources:
