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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:
- "fund beneficiary" (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)
- 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.
- erukatel56@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs Sunsan Moorehead" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <erukatel56@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 4 Jun 2013 11:18:50 +0200
Subject: UNCLAIM FUND
World Bank Auditors
1 South Street Baltimore,
MD 21202, United States
Dear Fund Beneficiary
PAYMENT NOTIFICATION
Sir,
Thank you for responding quickly.
I am contacting you in respect of your overdue payment that you have been trying to claim without any success. My Bank have been instructed by
President Obama to release all foreign beneficiary overdue funds upon approval from the IRS and Home land security.
I wish to let you know that your name was among the foreign beneficiary that will be receiving their overdue funds with my bank here in Washington
Dc.
If you are ready to claim your overdue funds, kindly get back to my office and I will furnish you with our payment application form which you will
fill and return back to my office to enable us validate your legal beneficiary documents prior to the transfer of your fund into your bank account.
Thanks for your understand.
Mrs. Susan Moorehead
Private Wealth Management in
World Bank Auditors
SOUTH STREET BALTIMORE, MD 21202, UNITED STATES
Email: erukatel56@yahoo.com
PHONE:+ 1-708-885-8853
Fax : + 1-710-971-2103
Switch Broad: +1-708-607-9231
Direct Phone: +1-703-109-4622
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Anti-fraud resources:
