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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:
- "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.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- 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.
- gov.slsanusi@execs.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Chicago Department of Aviations" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <kengreen39@aol.com>
Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:03:17 +0300
Subject: DELIVERY NOTICE.
O'Hare International Airport
Airport Code (ORD)
P.O.Box 66081
618 South Access Road
Chicago, Illinois 60666
(773) 894-6900
Attn: Receiver/ Beneficiary.
Ref: Final Notice of Your Package
With reference to your package reg #: NG9100AF originally scheduled to be delivered to you by the Central Bank of Nigeria/African Union Foreign payment service New york. I am writing to you to inform you that the days of grace has expired and you are required as a matter of urgency to contact the original sender below to issue final delivery Permission only to your Addres and in your favour immediately, (Furnish them your current address) submit to us rightful valid address/phone numbers if there are changes.
Please contact:
Sanusi Lamido Sanusi
Governor Central Bank of Nigeria
Tel: 234 1 7743571
E-mail: gov.slsanusi@execs.com
Note that this notice serves as our last Delivery notice as we hand over to New york Agency.
Best regards,
Mike Minear(Vice President)
Chicago Department of Aviations
(c)2011 City of Chicago, Department of Aviation. All rights reserved.
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Anti-fraud resources:
