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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:
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- officemailunit@virgilio.it (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "REV FRANK WEATHER" <pvt_paulkoranteng@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: officemailunit@virgilio.it
Date: Tue, 6 Mar 2012 16:19:53 -0000 (GMT)
Subject: ATTN: BENEFICIARY
WORLD BANK PLC
HEAD OFFICE,PLOT N113
BANK PLAZA ABUJA NIGERIA
Bank Plaza Abuja Nigeria
OUR. REF. NO WBP/DB/AF 03/11
ATTN: BENEFICIARY
We the management of WORLD BANK wishes to congratulate and inform you that your
Email address has won the sum of $18m USD through the International Monitory
Fund World Lotto Merit Award 2011 and has been approved and released today by
the Government of the Nigeria.To this effect, we have been mandated to pay you
Via ATM Visa Card.Should you adhere to our directives,your payment will be made
within 24 hours.
However,you are required to reconfirm your information for verification and
immediate payment.
(1) Your Full Names...............
(2) Address....... ...............
(3) Direct telephone number.......
(4) Country Name..................
(5) Occupation....................
(6) Age......... .................
(7) Gender........................?
(8) A scan copy of your passport photograph.
We shall proceed with your payment as soon as the above information are
received. Please reply to this email address: officemailunit@virgilio.it
Yours faithfully,
Rev Frank Weather,
Director Atm Swift Card
Foreign Operation Dept
World bank Plc
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Anti-fraud resources:
