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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:
- ",500,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "lamido aminu sanusi" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "bcentral@yahoo.cn" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: "Central Bank" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <governore@yahoo.cn>
Date: Thu, 27 Dec 2012 19:43:21 -0500
Subject: IMMEDIATE CONTRACT LOTTERY /INHERITANCE PAYMENT $USD25.5 MILLION (CONTRACT NO. FGN/PTF/407/2012
Attn: Dear Good Friend,
I write to inform you that your outstanding contracts/inheritance and lottery Winning due for payment with the Federal Government of Nigeria, from 2000 till date your name and emails address was discovered as next on the list for payment of ($25,500,000.00) Million as directed by the President of Nigeria for the first quarter payment for 2012.
Following the mandate given by our President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to pay all the foreign Contractors and beneficiary of over due payment with the Central Bank of Nigeria and commercial banks for the second quarter payment for 2012., he has also directed my office to directly complete the transfer of your fund to your accounts, by SWIFT TELEGRAPHIC WIRE TRANSFER::: in respect to this information and directive I have concluded a meeting with the board of directors of Central Bank and other Commercial Bank Directors in Nigeria to provided the list of beneficiaries which you are among.
Response back with your account details via email bcentral@yahoo.cn
REGARDS
Mallam Sanusi Lamido Aminu Sanusi
Governor Central Bank of Nigeria [CBN]
DIRCT LINE +234 818 860 9673
NB:KINDLY NOTE THAT SOME IMPOSTERS HAVE STARTED MAKING FORGERY OF MY NAME IN YOUR RESPONSE I WILL PROOF TO YOU I AM THE REAL GOVERNOR CBN
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Anti-fraud resources:
