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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:
- "swift card payment center" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Prof. David A. Graham" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <contact-inf-undp214@skymail.mn>
Date: Sat, 22 Oct 2011 15:29:30 -0700
Subject: Your fund payment by UNITED NATIONS ATM MASTER CARD
United Nation ATM Master Card payment
Attention beneficiary,
this is to officially inform you that the united nation special duty on debt settlement in collaboration with world bank debt relief have taken over the payment of Nigerian foreign debt following a bilateral agreement signed between the world bank country office and the president of Nigeria. we have verified your claim file and thus confirmed your claim to be genuine and authentic.
as the beneficiary of the said fund you have been scheduled to receive your payment via a personalize United Nation ATM Master Card, we urge you to reconfirm to us your personal details for avoidance of doubt and also forward your address where your united nation personalize ATM Master Card will be delivered to. be advised to stop forthwith all dealing with any office in Nigeria if you wishes to receive your payment since we have decided to bring a final solution to your problem. right now we have arranged all payment through our swift card payment center that is the latest development from world bank president and united nation secretary general.
this card center will process your U.N ATM Master Card which you will use to withdraw your money in any ATM machine in your country, so if you would like to receive your fund by this method please do let me know by return mail indicating your acceptance to receive your payment by ATM Master Card while i will furnish you with details of the procedure
Note that the united nation and world bank has approved and ordered the director to issue out to you the sum of us$10,500,000.00 as full payment for this fiscal year 2011 of your original fund. more details will be released to you as we progress. we wish to advice you to adhere to our simple instructions to avoid any hitches in receiving your payment by this U.N ATM Master Card.
Regards,
Prof. David A. Graham
Director special duty
on debt settlement
United Nation Delegate
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Anti-fraud resources:
