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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:
- "million 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)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- 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.
- phillip.duncan1@usa.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Theresa Jackson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <officegovender@ymail.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Jul 2013 09:50:52 +0100
Subject: PAYMENT INVESTIGATION DEPARTMENT
Attn: Beneficiary,
Sir,
Be informed that Your ATM CARD PIN is 8135 Your daily Card Limit is $5,000.00 USD per day. The Card is valid till December 2015. And the Total Amount in the ATM Master Card is $1.5 Million United State Dollars. You are advice to forward your Address and a Valid Phone Number to Phillip
Duncan.of First City Monument Bank E-mail: phillip.duncan1@usa.com Tel:2348080348517for correct identification, all
FirstName:__________Name:__________________Sex:_______________Age:_______Date Birth:___________________
Occupation:_________________Nationality:________________Address:_________________Marital
Status:____single________City:_____________State:_______________ Zip/Postal
Code:___________Country:____________________Cell Phone:____________________
Email:________________IDENTIFICATION:____________________
process regarding to this have been concludedfor the dispatch for your ATM to your door step within 48hours through any Courier company.
Thanks,
Theresa Jackson
Debt reconcilation committe
on contract/inheretance payment
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Anti-fraud resources:
