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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:
- "the consignment" (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)
- "consignment " (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)
- "economic and financial crime commission" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "farida mzamber waziri" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Vicki Bini" <osytgra@yahoo.com.my>
Reply-To: unitednations20134@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2012 18:29:26 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: a compensation fee of US$6.000,000
Attn Sir/ Madam
My name is Dr. Mrs. Vicki Bini; I am the public relation officer for United Nations Organization office. I am contacting you based on the consignment box containing a compensation fee of US$6.000,000 handed over to me by the United Nation Secretary general Mr. Ban Ki-Moon following the out come of the general meeting held two days ago with the incumbent president of Federal Republic of Nigeria Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GCFR) and the Economic and Financial Crime Commission ( EFCC) Chair person Chief (Mrs) Farida Mzamber Waziri, because of reports and counter reports of fraud and scam victims which your name was among the short listed to be compensated with the sum of US$6.000,000 dollars and it was packaged in a consignment box in which I was directed to deliver to you Without any delay.
In receipt of this mail, you are required to forward to me the following information so that the assigned delivery agent will make his trip immediately to delivery your consignment box to you this week.
Full name:
Address of home/office.
Land/cell phone number.
A copy of your identification
Country:
Phone contact.
Urgent reply and information needed today.
Mrs. Vicki Bini
Public Relation Officer,
United Nations Commission
Federal Republic of Nigeria
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Anti-fraud resources:
