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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:
- "transfer into your account" (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)
- "international remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: HI DANKWAMBO <hi_dankwambo@yahoo.com.ph>
Reply-To: ptrphilipoffice@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2011 03:48:31 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: MATTER OF URGENCY REGARDING YOUR FUND VISA CARD DELIVERY TO YOUR DOOR STEP. REPLY ASAP
Attn Beneficiary
Â
This is to notify you that UNITED NATIONS AND IMF has directed CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIAÂ to transfer your compensation payment to your account.
Â
 At this juncture all arrangement s has been concluded to deliver your fund to your door step via international master ATM CARD in other to prevent further factors that prevent your fund transfer into your account ever before now.
Â
Kindly forward below information’s ASAP
FULL NAMES AND ADDRERSS
COUNTRY AND STATEOF ORIGIN
PRIVATE TELEPHONE/FAX NUMBERS
POSTAL ADDRESS
SCANED COPY OF YOUR INTERNATIONAL PASPORTOR DRIVERS LICENSE
Â
Please send the info ASAP to enable us forward your information to international remittance department for the processing of your fund master ATM which will enable you make withdrawal from any ATM cash point around the Globe.
                                                                                                                         Â
Â
Waiting for our urgent Reply
Â
Best Regards
Â
Dr. HI. DANKWAMBO
Director International Remittance Dept
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Anti-fraud resources:
