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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:
- "hundred thousand united state dollars" (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)
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- 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.
- gary.mark53@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "MRMICHAELEFE" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrmichaelefe@megamail.pt>
Date: Fri, 6 Apr 2012 09:06:37 -0700
Subject: Re: Atm Card Fund Notification.
Re: Atm Card Fund Notification.
We have received an instruction from the office of the presidency, the
federal ministry of finance (FMF), and the senate committee on foreign
payments (SCFP), to pay you your contract/inheritance fund from our
bank.This is to notify you that your fund have been programmed in an ATM
electronic card for immediate delivery to you upon reconfirming your
physical mailing address as all arrangements had been finalized and to be
released to you as the legitimate beneficiary of the fund, via global ATM
CARD.
You are advice to contact our affiliate ATM UNIT CENTER with the information
below.(ATM Master Card Number 4000101025717299) has been accredited in your
favour. Your Personal Identification Number is 1307. The ATM Card Value is
$2, 700, 000.00 (Two Million Seven Hundred Thousand United State
Dollars).The maximum you can withdraw in a day is $4000.00 (Four Thousand
United State Dollars) you are therefore advice to contact the ATM CARD UNIT
CENTRE DEPARTMENT. Bellow is the contact detail for you to contact ATM UNIT
CENTRE for your ATM CARD.
Mr.Gary Mark
EMAIL:gary.mark53@yahoo.com
Here is the information they may need to send the ATM CARD to you.
FULL NAME....................
DELIVERY ADDRESS.............
TELEPHONE NUMBER.............
COUNTRY......................
OCCUPATION...................
SEX..........................
AGE..........................
A COPY OF YOUR ID CARD......
Mr.Michael Efe
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Anti-fraud resources:
