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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:
- "huge sum of money" (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)
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "atmpayment.depar1ment9@gmail.com" (this email address looks like addresses used in "ATM SWIFT card" 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.
- atmpayment.depar1ment9@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "INTERNATIONAL BANK OF AFRICA PLC" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <atmpayment.depar1ment9@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 2 Apr 2012 13:43:55 +0100
Subject: Re: Attn: Beneficiary
THE AUDITOR PAYMASTER GENERAL
INTERNATIONAL BANK OF AFRICA (PLC) SETTLEMENT
Attn: Beneficiary.
This is to inform you that the Bank For International Settlement ( BIS)empowered by INTERNATIONAL BANK OF AFRICA (PLC), has mandated us to contact all the beneficiaries who has in one way or the order fail by paying some huge sum of money from Ecowas Contract Authority in other to get their Inheritance or Contract money/fund to know avail.This payment shall be paid from Africa, America , Europe or Asia depending on beneficiary's geographical location.
Now I want to inform you that your name has been writing out for payment release Of $2.5m Us dollars through Pacific card ATM, some people has come forth to lay claim on your behalf stating that you are late(Dead) and that they are the beneficiary whom your payment should be made to.We want to know if this information is true before we proceed to pay them and this will be done as soon as we do not hear from you that's means we will assume that truly you are Dead.If you are life do confirm the following information to us :
1) FULL NAME:................................................................
2) YOUR HOME ADDRESS:...............................................
3. YOUR CURRENT CELL PHONE:........FAX NUMBER:.......
4) YOUR AGE:......................................SEX:......................
5) MARITAL STATUSES:....................................................
6) OCCUPATION:.............RELIGION:..................................
7) COUNTRY:.....................................................................
8) A COPY OF YOUR PICTURE OR ID IF ANY (Optional):................
We look forward to your response.to this Email address : ( atmpayment.depar1ment9@gmail.com )
AUDIT PAYMASTER INTERNATIONAL BANK OF AFRICA (PLC)IBA
FOR INTERNATIONAL SETTLEMENT
3F,NO.115,SEC3 MIN SHENG E RD
COTONOU-BENIN REPUBLIC
TEL: +229 68-407-602
Mr.Victor M. Dillon
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Anti-fraud resources:
